


Love and American Football

by Racey



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:22:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 97,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22280089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Racey/pseuds/Racey
Summary: American football has always been Grimmjow's first love...until he meets Ichigo.
Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**_Karakura Middle School_ **

**_April 2004_ **

_The playground was filled with bustling children, playing various games and screaming delightedly as the sun shone brightly in the clear, blue sky. It was a beautiful, Spring day and Ichigo and his friends were taking advantage of it, sitting in companionable silence under a nearby cherry blossom tree. Chado, Tatsuki and Inoue sat beside him, quietly eating, until Tatsuki broke the silence._

" _Has anyone seen the new kid?" she asked suddenly. All heads swiveled in her direction in surprise. Tatsuki rarely spoke, unless someone was bothering Inoue or talking about karate._

" _Yeah, what about him?" Ichigo questioned over a mouthful of his turkey sandwich._

_Tatsuki's eyebrows shot to her hairline, "He's so tiny! And he's always getting teased by Gin and that Shiro boy, but he never does nothin' to take up for himself!"_

" _Why not? Is he stupid or somethin'?" Ichigo scrunched his nose in confusion._

_He'd seen the new kid and knew exactly what Tatsuki meant by "tiny". He was half the size of all the kids their age and frightfully thin. He was really small, even at the age of ten. The boy's appearance was really different too. He had bright blue hair and vivid, ocean blue eyes that got him teased and bullied mercilessly. Ichigo didn't understand why he wouldn't stand up for himself, though, regardless of his size._

" _I don't think so. He always looks good and mad when people bother him, but he never hits anyone back or says nothin'," Tatsuki answered, picking at her sandwich._

_Inoue scowled slightly, chewing delicately on a...pickle, mayo and curry sandwich? Ichigo shuddered, but watched her curiously as she lifted a finger and pointed towards a tree a few meters from where they sat._

" _They're doing it right now," she said disapprovingly._

_Ichigo, as well as the others, focused on a group of children gathering around the small kid, backing him into the tree. Of course, Gin Ichimaru and Shirosaki Oghici were at the very center, Gin standing by, grinning wolfishly, while Shirosaki roughly shoved the blue-haired boy._

_Suddenly, Shirosaki planted his pale fist into the blue-haired boy's face, making him hit his head against the tree and slide to the floor, holding his nose. Ichigo scowled darkly as he abruptly rose to his feet, dusted the seat of his gray uniform pants and quickly stormed towards the noisy group of kids._

_He pushed roughly past the rowdy children until he managed to emerge in the center of the fray, mouth balled up and hands fisted at his sides. Words were unnecessary as he shoved Shirosaki away from the smaller, blue-haired boy._

_The pale kid stumbled slightly, but regained his composure and whirled to face Ichigo, strange eyes narrowed at him menacingly. His white hair was disheveled and his inverted eyes, with golden irises and black sclera, glittered dangerously, even as a wide grin pulled at his lips._

" _Yo, ya gotta death wish, Strawberry?" the albino kid taunted, stepping closer. Ichigo didn't even flinch._

" _You're such a wimp, Shirosaki. Why ya gotta mess with him for? He's not botherin' nobody," he returned, his body coming to a stop before the small blunet, still seated at the base of the tree._

_Ichigo held his arms out wide as his scowl deepened. Shirosaki was inching closer and closer. He wasn't afraid of the albino; as a matter of fact, he wasn't afraid of anyone, but Shirosaki was a bully and played by no set of rules._

_Gin stood eerily silent at his side, eye-closing grin taking up most of his face and hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his uniform pants. He didn't seem to be in a hurry to make any moves, but Ichigo had the common sense not to disregard the silver-haired youth._

_Suddenly, Shirosaki ceased moving forward and glared behind Ichigo before locking eyes with the orange-haired boy again. Ichigo didn't dare turn to see what Shirosaki was sneering scornfully at, but he didn't need to because the pissed off bully cracked his knuckles before snarling, "What the fuck, Yasutora? Ya the Strawberry's bodyguard er somethin'?"_

_As usual, Chado maintained his stony silence, which only served to piss the other boy off. He looked like he wanted to lunge at him and Chado, but thought better of it. The other children gathered around twittered excitedly, but had their hopes of a fight dashed to bits when Gin placed a hand on Shirosaki's shoulder._

" _Jus' leave it fer now," he whispered into the albino's ear. "Yuh'll get yer chance."_

" _Tch, whatever. See ya 'round, Strawberry," Shirosaki scoffed, waving his hand dismissively as he and Gin stalked off, making the other children scatter like roaches._

_Ichigo slowly loosened the tension that had gathered everywhere on his body as he turned to face Chado. The gentle giant with wavy, dark-brown hair that hung over his right eye, stood patiently waiting behind him. It looked like the brunet hadn't even been fazed. "Thanks, Chado," he mumbled._

_Chado nodded somberly before heading off in the direction of their group. It was as if he'd read Ichigo's thoughts of wanting to be alone with the blue-haired boy still seated on the ground. The smaller boy was no longer holding his nose, but blood was tracking over his lips and under his chin. Bright blue eyes, shimmering with intensity, glared at him defiantly._

" _Don' pity me!" the boy snapped angrily._

_Ichigo arched a brow and placed his hands on his hips, "Maybe I wouldn't if ya stood up for yourself sometime!"_

_The smaller boy slowly climbed to his feet and brushed off his uniform, his mouth turned down at the corners, "You don' know nothin'," he muttered sullenly and brushed past Ichigo, bumping arms roughly._

_Ichigo frowned and grabbed the boy's arm, stopping him. "Why don't ya fight back?" he asked incredulously._

_He still didn't understand why the other boy just sat there and took all that abuse. The blue-haired boy growled and slapped away Ichigo's hand. "Ain't nunna yer business!" he snapped and shoved off, Ichigo's gaze burning a hole in his back._

_The blue-haired boy's gait was stiff and pissed and Ichigo wanted to know now, more than ever, why the kid wouldn't defend himself against his classmates._

XOXOXO

**_Karakura Middle School_ **

**_April 2004_ **

_Grimmjow trudged to the nurse's office and flopped down on one of the five, blue, plastic chairs outside of the shut room. He knew he was going to scold him for being there again for the fourth time this week, but it really wasn't his fault. He hated this place, but no matter where he went, it was the same._

_Kids bullied him, teased him, shunned him, made him feel worse than gum stuck to the bottoms of their shoes, all because of his appearance. Because he was shorter than the average kid their age, because he had blue hair and blue eyes. Not only was he gaijin, he was a runt to boot. He fisted the material at his knees and clenched his teeth until he thought they would break._

_It wasn't fair._

_He had been kicked out of three of the four public schools in Karakura and his mother couldn't afford the private ones. This was his last chance and he had to make it count. If he didn't, he would have no way to finish school, which for him was imperative. He had dreams of becoming a professional American football player one day and he knew college would help smooth the way._

_Laugh if you want, he was pretty fast and could slip by most bigger kids._

_Ever since the first time he'd seen an American football game on TV, he'd dreamt of becoming a running back. He had always liked running and he LOVED the idea of running WHILE dodging opponents. It wasn't like track and field, where you were restricted to running on a track with specific small spaces. With American football, you were granted more freedom and the thought of the dangerous physical contact gave him a thrill._

_He knew better than to share his aspirations with anyone other than his mother, though. He would be tormented more than was usual and that was really saying something considering what he went through on a daily basis from his looks alone. His mother was supportive, encouraging him and telling him he could do anything he wanted, as long as he worked hard for it._

_Grimmjow relaxed his hands and rubbed the palms across his knee caps, ridding them of the sweat that had gathered. The thought of his mother always served as a soothing agent for him. She did everything she could to give him a good life and it wasn't her fault they were poor. His father had died, leaving them in astonishing amounts of debt and it was all his mother could do just to keep them both clothed and fed, with a roof over their heads. She even went some nights without eating, just so he could._

_It pissed him off and tore him apart at the same time. His mother didn't deserve to live the way they had to, which was why he vowed to become successful, even if it wasn't with his first love, American football. He would make sure his mother wanted for nothing in the future._

_His mother – soft-spoken, gentle and kind – was a lovely woman, with deep, blue eyes and long, crow-black hair that she always kept back in a braid. Retsu. Grimmjow had always loved her name and thought it was funny that it contradicted her true nature. Although, his mom could be scary as hell when she was mad._

_He brushed a hand under his sore nose and realized that it had stopped bleeding. His hands were still covered with red from earlier, but the damage wasn't as bad as he'd thought. Maybe he didn't need to be at the infirmary after all. Grimmjow stood and started to head for the bathroom to clean up, when the office door swung open and an orange-haired girl with storm-cloud eyes stepped out._

_Those eyes widened as she noticed him and took in his haggard appearance. Grimmjow hardened his gaze and pursed his lips. He hated being stared at like that. He didn't need anyone's sympathy because he wasn't helpless. There was a reason for his passivity._

" _Orihime-chan, please be careful of what you eat from now on, OK? We don't want this to happen again," the nurse said, his voice concerned._

_The girl tore her gaze away from Grimmjow and turned to the older man. "Yes!" she chirped, her face brightening and almost lighting up the halls. "Um, Hanataro-san, he's bleeding," she continued in a confidential whisper, even going as far as cupping the side of her face._

_The dark-haired nurse turned his concerned visage Grimmjow's way, making him cringe. He hadn't wanted to be seen, but now that option had been swept away. "Ah! Grimmjow-kun, what happened to your nose?" he asked, leaving the girl's side and hurrying to his._

_Grimmjow scowled and gave the girl a pointed, rather heated glare before focusing on the nurse. "Nothin' serious. It ain't even bleedin' no more," he grumbled, swatting away the man's hand._

_Hanataro finally gave up trying to touch his face, instead settling for his shoulder. "Well, come into my office and clean up," he suggested._

_Grimmjow glanced up at him, ready to leave if he saw even an ounce of pity in those normally warm, periwinkle eyes. When all he saw was concern and worry, he nodded slowly and headed into the office, giving the apricot-haired girl one last glare as he did so. Hanataro followed behind him after advising the girl to head back to class. He shut the door silently and went to his desk, Grimmjow already making his way to the small half-bath._

_He washed his hands and face thoroughly, making sure there was no evidence of what had happened. His school shirt was a lost cause, sporting several bright red drops of blood, but he would be able to change his clothes before his mother got home from work. After he was clean, he studied himself in the mirror, ready to celebrate, but his shoulders sagged as he noticed there was a bruise already forming along the bridge of his nose. Shit. His mom was going to wonder what happened and he was running out of excuses for the constant bumps and bruises he brought home._

_Grimmjow growled as he stepped off the small stool in front of the sink. It was degrading to have to use such a thing, but without it, he had no hope of reaching the faucet. He couldn't stand being so damned small! Where the hell had his genes gone wrong? His mother was an average height woman and his father had been pretty tall from what he'd seen in pictures. So, why the hell was he getting the short end of the stick? Literally._

_He stomped out of the bathroom and tried to breeze past Hanataro, hoping the nurse wouldn't mention the incident. No such luck. The dark-haired man lifted big, droopy eyes and locked onto him before Grimmjow could reach the door. "Grimmjow-kun, what happened? I have to ask. Are you being bullied?" he asked gently._

_Grimmjow froze, his spine stiffening as his hair stood on end. He wasn't being bullied. Even though he was small, he could take care of himself. He just couldn't get in anymore trouble, meaning he couldn't fight back. If he did, it would mean dire consequences for him. "I ain't bein' bullied," he scoffed._

_Hanataro arched a brow, expression clearly reading "oh, really?". Instead, he said, "Grimmjow-kun, you should tell me what's going on. I need to know why you're always in my office several times a week with various injuries.I can't just stand by and do nothing while a student is being bullied and injured on a daily basis."_

_Grimmjow gritted his teeth and balled up his hands. "I ain't bein' bullied!" he insisted, wishing the nurse would just let it go._

_He did want the kids to stop bugging him, but he didn't want to be labeled a rat AND a chicken on top of everything else he was being called. No, thank you. His life was rough enough and he wasn't about to stoke the flames._

_Hanataro gave him a weighty stare, penetrating him and making him completely uncomfortable. "Fine, but the next time you come in here with an injury, Grimmjow-kun, I'm going to the principal," he stated, for once ladling authority over his words._

_Grimmjow grimaced and nodded, accepting his fate. That just meant he couldn't go to the nurse anymore. He slowly left the infirmary and headed to class. He would have to take care not to be harmed to that point then, but he was standing by his decision. He wasn't a rat and he wasn't risking his last chance at high school._

XOXOXO

**_Karakura Middle School_ **

**_April 2004_ **

_Ichigo stared at the blue-haired boy seated on the swings of the school playground. He was swinging lazily, his feet dangling in the air. He was the only kid whose feet couldn't reach the ground and Ichigo was surprised the kid would frequent something that so clearly stated his lack of vertical stature, but there he sat._

_The blue-haired boy had gotten under Ichigo's skin with his words a couple days ago and since then, he'd been watching him, trying to figure out why he wouldn't fight back. His diligence had earned him curious glances from his friends, but no information that would answer his questions. Fed up with wondering, Ichigo crossed the playground, brow furrowed and gait stiff._

_He wasn't leaving until he got his freaking answers._

_When he was within a few feet of the boy, he noticed how the blue head came up and those startlingly blue eyes locked onto his with all the accuracy and threat of a sniper's scope. Ichigo had the urge to freeze, but brushed it aside and continued moving until he was standing directly in front of the blue-haired boy that Inoue had said was called Grimmjow._

_Grimmjow glared up at him, blue eyes glittering and dancing like a kaleidoscope of fury. Why was he so mad? Did he think Ichigo was there to start trouble?_

" _Your name's Grimmjow?" he asked, just to be sure Inoue had given him the correct title._

_Grimmjow's eyes sharpened and narrowed. "Why ya wanna know?" he snapped, his voice dripping mistrust and suspicion._

" _'Cuz I wanna. Now, is it?"_

_Grimmjow's head jerked back and his eyes widened as if he was surprised. "Yeah," he grunted, absently rubbing the tip of his straight nose._

_Ichigo liked the way it wrinkled across the bridge when he was angry. Grimmjow was an interesting kid with his exotic looks and small figure, but he had time to think about that later. Right now, he wanted answers. "So, how come ya don't tell Shirosaki and Gin to leave ya alone? You can fight back, ya know. You don't gotta take that crap from them," Ichigo insisted, hoping he could persuade the boy to just DO something when he was being bullied._

_Ocean blue eyes considered him carefully, Grimmjow's angular face tilting to the side. "Why ya care? I'm a nobody," he spat as if the word itself pissed him off._

_Ichigo hedged and drew himself up to his full height of five feet and one inch. "Who says you're a nobody?"_

_Grimmjow arched a perfect, blue eyebrow and for the first time since Ichigo had seen him, gave a small smirk, the left side of his mouth curving impishly upwards. Ichigo just stared. It had taken him way off guard and he didn't know how to deal with it. "I know I'm a nobody. I don' got no friends, I look different and I'm poor. That spells nobody in my book," he finished bitterly, his smirk fading like the sun during a sunset._

_Ichigo growled but contained his anger. He didn't want Grimmjow to get the wrong idea, when all he really wanted to know was why the boy felt that way. Grimmjow's hands tightened around the swing's chains as he glared at the ground, a muscle in his jaw twitching. After some consideration, Ichigo took the swing next to him and sat. He knew what he would do._

" _Oi, Grimmjow?" Grimmjow looked up, still frowning, but expression somewhat curious. "How 'bout I be your friend? We can hang out and you won't-"_

_Grimmjow cut him off sharply as he jumped from the swing. "I don' need yer pity!" he snapped, face – for one quick second – angry and vulnerable. "I don' need nobody's fuckin' pity!"_

_Ichigo's eyebrows flew up as he observed the near hysteria in Grimmjow's countenance. He had said something like that the last time they had traded words. "I'm not pitying you, stupid!" Ichigo snapped, getting angry as he too jumped from the swing. "I'm tryin' to be your friend!"_

_Grimmjow just stared back at him, face blank, lips pressed together. Finally, his shoulders sagged and air gusted from him as if he'd been holding his breath. "Why?" he asked, voice lacking its previous heat._

" _Ain't nothin' wrong with you. You ain't a nobody and I'ma prove it," Ichigo declared, grinning at the prospect of learning more about the intriguing boy._

_Grimmjow's face reddened and he tucked his head. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't know how. Ichigo ducked his head to get a good look at his face, hoping he hadn't managed to piss him off again, when his air was sucked from his lungs. Grimmjow looked up, wearing a wide grin, his blue eyes alive and shimmering. "OK," he said simply._

_Ichigo's grin widened as he nodded, his heart beating frantically in his chest. "OK," he agreed._

XOXOXO

_Kurosaki Household_

_February 2005_

" _Dip-shit."_

" _Elf-ears."_

" _Fang-banger."_

" _Gum ball."_

" _...Gum...ball? What the hell?"_

" _It's the first thing that came to my mind!" Ichigo defended._

_Grimmjow sat back on his haunches and cracked up, his stomach hurting he was laughing so hard. Ichigo was so retarded._

" _Shut up," the red head muttered sullenly, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting._

_Grimmjow raised his head and tried to hold back his laughter by tucking his lips between his teeth and concentrating really hard. He locked eyes with Ichigo, those brown eyes glistening with annoyance. It didn't work. Grimmjow burst into laughter again and Ichigo reached over and punched him in the shoulder._

_Ow._

_Ichigo hit pretty hard._

" _Oi! That hurt," he grunted, gripping his injured shoulder._

" _Serves ya right. Ya always wanna play that game 'cuz ya know you'll win. That ain't fair," Ichigo groused._

_Grimmjow grinned and scooted closer to his friend. It still felt weird considering the orange-haired boy as such. When Ichigo had adamantly insisted in questioning him about his lack of backbone against Shirosaki and Gin, he had thought it was just to poke fun at him. Then, he realized that Ichigo was genuinely curious and really wanted to know why he wouldn't do anything to keep those two off of him._

_He'd even gone as far as offering his friendship._

_Grimmjow had been skeptical for the first two months, but then, with Ichigo's help, he'd come to recognize the sincerity in the other boy's gesture. After that, they had become inseparable. You never saw one without the other. Shirosaki and Gin still tried to corner him every now and then, but had slackened in their attempts since he was rarely alone now._

_It felt so strange but good to be able to say he had a friend. Ichigo's friends were nice to him by default, but he sensed their distance. They weren't like Ichigo himself, which he didn't mind in the least. Ichigo was enough. Ichigo was one of a kind. Ichigo was HIS._

_When Grimmjow had told his mom about Ichigo, she had been so happy for him, smiling and encouraging his enthusiasm. She was glad he wasn't lonely anymore; he was just glad to have a friend._

" _We c'n play that video game ya like so much," he suggested, enjoying the warmth radiating from the other boy._

_Ichigo gave him a sideways glance as if gauging his motives. "Really? Ya won't get mad?" the orange-haired boy asked quietly, his voice soft for a change, rather than his normally aggressive tone._

" _Nah. That game ain't so bad," Grimmjow declared._

_Suddenly, Ichigo reached over and wrapped him in a tight hug, making his chest tighten and his eyes widen. What was Ichigo doing? Why? Grimmjow lifted his hands and rested them on Ichigo's biceps, unsure of what to do or say, but luckily, Ichigo sat back wearing a wide grin, taking the awkward moment away. "Thanks, Grimm!"_

_Grimmjow stared at him blankly, his heart thundering in his chest. All that over a video game? Grimmjow allowed a slow grin to form as he shrugged, rubbing the tip of his nose to hide his sudden blush. Ichigo crawled over to the video game console and plugged it in, readying it to be played as Grimmjow watched him in fascination._

_He didn't know what had warranted Ichigo's reaction, but the hug had made something in his heart melt as hot butterflies raged in his stomach. He liked it._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**_Karakura Middle School_ **

**_February 2005_ **

" _I heard he's yer boyfriend. Ya a faggot now, Smurf-san?" Shirosaki mocked, cornering Grimmjow and forcing him against the deserted hallway's wall._

_Grimmjow gritted his teeth and glared back at the pale boy sneering in his face. He wasn't a...faggot, whatever that was. He wanted to kick the albino's ass and be done with it, but he knew that that was a one-way ticket to not graduating and being unable to attend high school._

_He wasn't willing to risk it._

_The silver-haired boy, Gin, stood to the side, silently watching the scene unfold. Grimmjow balled up his hands and snarled through clenched teeth, "Leave me alone."_

_Shirosaki glanced over at Gin and gave a loud bark of laughter, his golden eyes dancing with merriment, but the black sclera lending an ominous feeling to the joyful expression. "So, Strawberry's givin' ya a backbone, ne? Need me ta break it for ya?"_

_Gin chuckled and the sound creeped Grimmjow out. He hated the silent youth because he was obviously running the show, yet he did nothing to reign in his idiot pitbull. "Jus' leave it. I ain't gonna do nothin', so why bother?"_

_Shirosaki cackled again, but this time punctuated it with a sharp punch to Grimmjow's jaw. He stumbled back, trying to regain his balance as stars exploded before his eyes and pain erupted on his face. He winced and grabbed his chin, eyes watering as he tried to overcome the sudden jolt of pain. Shirosaki wasn't about to let him. He grabbed Grimmjow by the throat and began repeatedly trying to force the back of his head against the stone wall._

_Grimmjow struggled with the albino, hoping that someone would just come along and break things up before they got out of hand, but at the rate Shirosaki was going, it didn't seem like there would be any reprieve any time soon. The two boys had chosen a very conveniently deserted corridor, so unless Grimmjow defended himself, he was going to be beaten to a pulp._

_For once, Gin inserted himself into the situation, face-splitting, toothless grin wide as a whale belly. He swung swiftly, his fist too fast to track and caught Grimmjow across his right cheek. Grimmjow grunted and winced again, wishing for the second time that someone would come along and stop this before he decided to fight back. If that happened, he would be kicked out for sure because he didn't know the meaning of restraint, especially not when he was being threatened in this manner._

_Shirosaki followed up with a hit to Grimmjow's gut, knocking the wind from his sails and making him double over, gasping for much needed oxygen. This was bad. Grimmjow could see the tips of Gin's school shoes coming into his line of vision and he knew the silver-haired boy was going to hit him again._

_Damn._

_He really hoped the hallway would remain deserted._

_Grimmjow stood to his full height of four feet and four inches, pivoted on the ball of his right foot to dodge the blow coming from Gin, while at the same time landing a crippling body shot to the albino. Shirosaki bent sideways, clutching his ribs as he stumbled off. Gin arched a thin brow and grinned, the smile sending shivers rocketing down Grimmjow's spine. A kid shouldn't be that damned scary._

_Gin stared at him for all of ten seconds before he finally lunged, quick as a hare, catching Grimmjow in his shins with his left leg. Grimmjow tried not to show the immense pain he was in as he whirled in place, following Gin's every move. This situation had long spiraled out of control and was only going to get worse. Shirosaki was straightening his back and coming for Grimmjow with a fiery vengeance and it made Grimmjow more than a little nervous. He could hold his own in a one-on-one fight, but this double-team was more than he could handle._

_Grimmjow glanced around the dim and eerily quiet corridor, bright blue eyes wild and in the midst of a full-blown panic. His attention was brought crashing back to the two boys before him when Shirosaki grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled as hard as he could. Gin smoothly moved forward and delivered a devastating kick to Grimmjow's mid-section._

_Grimmjow dropped to his knees, Shirosaki still maintaining his painful grip on his hair. He couldn't breathe and the way Shirosaki tugged his hair, his head was held at an awkward angle that just made breathing even more difficult. Grimmjow was no wimp or punk, but he was in pain and tears slowly made their way down his reddened cheeks. He wanted to cry out for help, but he refused to go out that way. He would stick this through and hope for the best._

_Unfortunately, what he got was the worst._

_Shirosaki's grip in his hair suddenly disappeared and Grimmjow clutched his stomach and gasped loudly, drawing in breath after breath of sweet oxygen. A dull thud brought his focus into perspective just in time to see Shirosaki land a hard punch to Gin's jaw. Grimmjow frowned and watched in awe as Gin returned the favor, both resulting in serious red welts on both boys' faces._

_Grimmjow was clueless. Why the hell had they suddenly started fighting each other?_

" _What is going on here?" an authoritative voice boomed and Grimmjow felt his gut sink through the floor to the basement._

_Not only was the person an authority figure, but he was THE authority figure. He was the principal, Jyuushiro Ukitake-sensei. Grimmjow watched in horror as the man approached and stood with his hands on his hips as he glared down at the three of them. Shirosaki whined to Grimmjow's left and Gin stood holding his face to Grimmjow's right._

" _Grimmjow-kun hit us," Shirosaki stated, his golden eyes mocking, but face in dire straits. Gin nodded his agreement, making Grimmjow's eyes widen incredulously as he glanced back and forth between the two._

_WHAT?_

_Grimmjow finally gave his attention to the white-haired principal wearing a navy blue suit. "Is that true, Grimmjow?" the man asked._

_Grimmjow shook his head vigorously, denying the accusations. "They hit me first!" he defended._

_Ukitake-sensei frowned and made a "tutting" noise. "That's no excuse, Grimmjow. You three, come to my office," he stated, deep voice intimidating and final._

_Grimmjow could feel his heart racing as he slowly stood and followed behind the principal, shooting glares of sheer hatred at his two peers. He couldn't believe they had stooped so low. Did they know that the reason he never fought back was because of his dangling by a string school career? Grimmjow trudged behind the principal, his shoulders sagging and his head beginning to pound furiously._

_They reached the main office and walked through to the inner sanctum that belonged to Ukitake-sensei. The door shut behind them ominously as Ukitake-sensei gestured for them to sit in the chairs before his huge, mahogany desk. The tall, porcelain-haired man rounded the desk and lowered himself into his black, leather seat. Grimmjow gulped and for the first time in his young life, prayed to the kami that he wasn't about to be expelled._

_He glanced up and locked eyes with Ukitake-sensei. "I didn' hit them first!" he blurted, eyes wide and fearful._

_Please, don't expel him._

_Ukitake-sensei folded his arms on top of his desk and leaned forward, dark eyes deep and formidable. "Grimmjow, that is irrelevant. When I accepted you into this school, you promised not to get into anymore trouble and that if you were in any fights, I would have to expel you. I knew you were a risk because of your prior record, but I still gave you a chance and you threw it back in my face." Grimmjow felt tears stinging the backs of his eyes as he shook his head frantically, but Ukitake-sensei further lowered the axe. "Gin, Shirosaki, I'm aware of your reputations and I'm more than certain that you weren't innocent in this little skirmish, but fighting is intolerable. All of you are hereby expelled. I'll call your parents and ask them to pick you up."_

_No!_

_NO! NO! NO!_

_Grimmjow bared his teeth in a silent snarl as he glared at the floor and balled his hands into tight fists until his nails dug into the skin of his palms. He heard Ukitake-sensei rise and leave the office, even heard the soft snickering of Gin and Shirosaki, but he was numb to everything except the pain of losing his dream. He felt it slipping through his fingers like fine grains of sand the more Ukitake-sensei had spoken, until there was nothing left in his hand._

_He sat lifeless and inert as the world rushed past him in a blurred series of events. His mother came and picked him up, scolding him because she had to leave work and also because he had blown his last chance at school. Shirosaki and Gin had jeered at him as he was leaving the school with his mom, carefree because they could still attend another school and ecstatic because they had succeeded in officially separating him and Ichigo._

_As callous as it may sound, Ichigo was the least of his worries at the moment. How was he supposed to go to high school? How was he supposed to go to college and play American football? How was he supposed to become a professional ball player? Karakura was out of schools and his mom couldn't afford the private ones or a move to another town._

_Grimmjow sat in his tiny bedroom later that afternoon, curled up on his bed in the fetal position as tears soaked his pillow. It was over. He was doomed to become a real nobody now, unable to chase his dream and wrestle it into reality. His chest heaved and he squeezed his eyes shut, his nose stinging as he wiped it. He wouldn't be able to take care of his mom the way he'd intended to. He wouldn't even be able to get a decent job in the future, if what his mom told him about staying in school was true._

_He was really a loser, now._

XOXOXO

**_Karakura Middle School_ **

**_February 2005_ **

" _Have you seen Grimmjow today, Chado?" Ichigo asked his tall friend._

_Chado glanced down at him and shook his head slowly. Ichigo frowned in confusion, wondering why he hadn't seen his blue-haired friend in almost four days straight now. Grimmjow had never missed school before, so this absence was weird. Ichigo walked beside Chado through the hall towards their classroom, deeply ensconced in his thoughts. They entered the brightly lit room and made their way to the back, sitting across from each other, Ichigo close to the window._

_He stared out at the basketball court, his chin in his hand. He missed his friend and he hoped nothing bad had happened to him. Grimmjow had become his best friend since that day Ichigo had confronted him by the swings. Ichigo had only expected a passing acquaintance due to the way Grimmjow had reacted to him, but the blue-haired boy stuck to his side like super-glue and Ichigo didn't mind one bit. Although Grimmjow sometimes had a hard time being unselfish, Ichigo realized that it was only because Grimmjow had never had to share anything with anyone before. He had never had a friend, so he was still getting the hang of things._

_Grimmjow was hilariously blunt, had a strange sense of humor and tended to draw in on himself at times, but Ichigo just thought he was intriguing. He really liked him and he loved being able to observe him from close-up. He loved Grimmjow's mischievous, ocean blue eyes and bright blue hair that happened to be incredibly soft. He loved the way Grimmjow smelled like clean clothes and soap; he even loved his gruff manner of speaking._

_Ichigo would never stop being fascinated by the boy._

_Especially not now after Grimmjow had shared with him the real reason for his passivity when it came to Gin and Shirosaki. It just made Ichigo even more disgusted with the two bullies. Grimmjow had been kicked out of every school he'd attended because of fighting and defending himself from kids taunting and bullying him over his appearance. Karakura Middle School had been his last hope of making it to high school and then college. He wanted to play American football and become a running-back, whatever that was. Ichigo promised himself he would look into it just to be able to know what his friend's dream involved._

_But anyway. That was the reason Grimmjow never fought back when he was pushed around and Ichigo was immensely proud of him. He thought it was really strong of Grimmjow to be able to ignore Gin and Shirosaki when they started in on him, so he'd made it his business to stick around Grimmjow. Not to be sympathetic, but to be a support system for him. Whenever Ichigo was around, he noticed that Shirosaki and Gin stayed away, lightening the load for his friend._

_Ichigo sighed as he studied the scene beyond the window. Why was Grimmjow missing?_

" _Kurosaki-kun!"_

_Ichigo jerked out of his reverie and turned to face Inoue, who was standing beside him wearing a worried expression. Frowning, he straightened his back and asked, "What's up, Inoue?"_

_She shuffled her feet nervously and twirled a lock of her long, apricot hair around her finger, making alarms shriek in Ichigo's head. What had the normally tranquil girl so worked up? "Kurosaki-kun must be worried about Jaegerjaques-kun, right?" she asked._

_Ichigo bristled and leaned forward, eager to know what was going on with his friend. "Yeah. You know what's happened to him, Inoue?" he asked, trying to hide the note of desperation in his voice._

_Inoue nodded and bit her bottom lip before continuing. "Ichimaru-kun, Ogihci-kun and Jaegerjaques-kun were expelled a few days ago," she whispered, gray eyes wide with remorse._

_Ichigo felt like someone had kicked him in the chest, depriving him of air. "Wh-wha?" he gasped incredulously._

_He didn't understand. When had Gin and Shirosaki managed to corner Grimmjow? Ichigo had made sure to always be around him to prevent such a situation from occurring. His heart sinking, he realized that not only did Grimmjow get expelled, but he'd lost his last hope of achieving his dream. He was probably crushed right now and Ichigo wasn't there to comfort him. He hadn't even been there to keep those two bastards away from him._

_Clenching his teeth, he seethed. Ichigo was furious for his best friend. He knew Gin and Shirosaki had probably gotten the blue-haired boy expelled on purpose, probably not for the reason Grimmjow was trying to hide, but simply to alienate him further and separate him from his only friend: him._

_Assholes._

_Ichigo couldn't concentrate on school after news like that, earning him a trip to the principal's office for his lack of attention. He'd been scolded and sent on his way, not caring one tiny bit. His mind was on his best friend, who was probably miserable at the moment. After school, Ichigo was going to Grimmjow's house to check on him._

_Grimmjow had never told Ichigo where he lived, but curious, Ichigo had followed him home one day and found out on his own. He didn't know if Grimmjow was just ashamed of his home or what, but Ichigo didn't care and tried to explain that to the blue-haired boy, without giving up the fact that he already knew where he lived and it really didn't bother him. So what if his apartment building wasn't the nicest and his neighborhood wasn't a gated community. Today, Ichigo was putting his foot down and going to visit his friend._

_The more time he had to contemplate the situation, the more angry he became. Why hadn't Grimmjow bothered to come see him like he normally did? Was it because he didn't want Ichigo to pity him like he always thought? Was he ashamed of being expelled?_

_Ichigo growled as he made his way towards the door after the last bell rang. Grimmjow should know by now that Ichigo wouldn't pity him. He wouldn't pick on him about something as sensitive as his dream, his goals. The fact that Grimmjow didn't trust him with the news burned and pissed him off. Ichigo quickened his pace and gripped the straps of his backpack as he stormed down the street in the direction of Grimmjow's apartment building._

_He had a few choice words for his best friend._

**XxxxxxX**

_Ichigo arrived at the medium-sized, brick building and located apartment 202. He only hesitated for a second with his fist raised before he pounded on the door like a member of the local law enforcement. Grimmjow had to be home since he'd been expelled and from what he'd told Ichigo, his mom couldn't afford the private schools and she couldn't afford to move, so he could attend school in another town. Ichigo stopped knocking and waited, silence thick and oppressive._

_After a minute of waiting, he knocked again, this time adding his foot to the action. He stopped and pressed his ear to the door to listen for any noise. When he heard a disgruntled grumbling, he chuckled and stepped back so Grimmjow could open the door. The light blue portal swung open and Grimmjow stood on the threshold, eyes narrowed from sleep and hair in disarray, sticking up in several different directions. He was wearing a stained, white t-shirt, black sweatpants and his feet were bare._

_Ichigo grinned, forgetting his anger as he observed his best friend. He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed the boy until he was face-to-face with him. Grimmjow's pretty blue eyes widened when he registered Ichigo as his visitor, then they narrowed into tiny little angry slits. "How'd ya know where I live?" he snapped, voice still thick with sleep._

_Ichigo frowned, his forgotten anger bowling him over at the blue-haired boy's words. "I followed ya. So what? I told ya I wouldn't pity ya or pick on ya. Now, how come ya stopped comin' by my house? Is it 'cuz ya got expelled?" he asked, tilting his head to the side as he considered the other boy._

_Grimmjow's back visibly stiffened as he gripped the edge of the door. "How come ya know I got expelled?" he asked tightly, blue eyes pissed._

" _Tch. Why does that even matter? I thought we were friends? Friends don't hide things from each other!" he snapped, just as angry as Grimmjow appeared._

_The wind left the shorter boy's sails and his shoulders sagged drastically as his eyes lowered to the floor. His mood change was so abrupt, Ichigo felt bad for raising his voice and being angry with him in the first place._

" _I'm sorry, Gr-"_

" _Shut up. Don' apologize when yer right," he mumbled, his voice shaking unsteadily. "I don' know how to be a good friend, Ichigo. I don' know the rules or nothin' when it comes to that sorta thing, but I didn' stop comin' by 'cuz I thought ya'd pity me. I stopped comin' by 'cuz I was ashamed. I still am. I shoulda been able ta...ta..." his voice trailed off, but not before Ichigo heard the wobbling, signifying tears were close to the surface._

_No matter how angry he'd been, seeing Grimmjow in pain made something inside him writhe in displeasure. He stepped forward and wrapped his best friend in a tight hug, resting his chin on top of that head of blue hair. He felt the smaller boy's chest heave as his arms came up and he clung to Ichigo like a barnacle. Ichigo was satisfied to just stand and absorb his best friend's anguish and tears, not speaking, just rubbing his back soothingly as he allowed Grimmjow to vent._

_After a few minutes, only short sniffs could be heard, so Ichigo leaned back and peered down at Grimmjow. The other boy averted his gaze, his face flushed and wet from crying. "Am I a nobody now?" he asked quietly and Ichigo growled angrily._

" _No! You're never gonna be a nobody to me!" he exclaimed, his hands going to the shorter boy's shoulders._

_Grimmjow looked up at him and shook his head. "Why ya always sayin' that? I ain't gonna be able ta go ta school no more, Ichigo. I ain't gonna be able ta help my mom and I ain't gonna be able ta be a professional American football player. I'm a-"_

" _No, you're not! I don't care what ya think, you're not a nobody, Grimm. Nobodies don't have hopes and dreams and nobodies don't work hard to make those dreams come true."_

_Ichigo sighed and cracked his knuckles, anxious to fix things, but unknowing of how to do so. Grimmjow watched him, a strange look on his face. "Thanks, Ichigo," he mumbled, finally lowering his eyes to the floor again._

_Ichigo turned to face him and arched an orange brow. "That's what best friends do, Grimm, so don't thank me. Can I come in?" he asked, hoping to spend some time with his best friend._

_Grimmjow bit his bottom lip before nodding slowly and stepping back from the door. "OK."_

XOXOXO

**_Jaegerjaques Household_ **

**_April 2005_ **

_A soft shaking of his shoulder roused him from a deep slumber. His eyes blinked open and he lifted a hand to swipe at his mouth, embarrassed to have been caught drooling like an infant. He focused his still slightly bleary gaze over his shoulder and sat up slowly, eyeing his mother carefully. She seemed happy and excited, which was different considering his situation._

" _What is it, Ma?" he asked._

_She gave him that awesome grin and settled on the edge of his bed, her hand resting on his outstretched legs. "I just got off the phone with your uncle. He says you can live with him and finish school there. They're not as strict as they are here," she stated happily._

_Grimmjow felt his breath choke to a stop as he stared at his mother. Was she really giving him a solution? Was it really that easy? "Where does Uncle Mayuri live, now? Wasn't he in Okinawa?" he inquired, rubbing his chin in thought. His uncle was like a gypsy, unable to stay in one spot for very long._

" _Well, no, he's not there anymore. He lives in America; New Jersey to be exact. He says you can come live with him there, finish school and come back here in time for high school. He's willing to pay for your ticket and everything. What do you think, honey?" his mother asked, her eyes taking in his reaction._

_He was ecstatic! He would be able to finish grammar school AND be able to come back to his hometown for high school. His dream wasn't lost for good anymore. He had a fleeting thought of why his uncle was being so generous, but then remembered that the man had always favored him for some strange reason. Grimmjow didn't even care anymore. He was just happy to finally have hope again. He would be able to follow his goals and become an American football player. He couldn't wait to tell Ichigo all-_

_His thoughts crashed to a halt. Ichigo. He would have to leave his home and the only friend he'd ever had. The only person – aside from his mother – that he cared about. Even if it was only for a few years, he hated the thought of leaving behind his best and only friend, who'd been there for him when he'd had his breakdown a few days back. Grimmjow didn't want to tell Ichigo that he was leaving for a foreign place for several years. He didn't want to leave. He would miss the orange-haired boy like an absent limb._

_But..._

_This was his only chance at achieving his goal. It was only for a few years anyway. It couldn't really be all that bad._

_Grimmjow locked eyes with his mother and nodded. "I wanna go," he said softly, feeling like he'd just hacked off his arm._

**XxxxxxX**

_Grimmjow stood on the stoop to the house that had become his second home. He didn't want to ring the bell and he didn't want to do what he had come there for. His heart felt like an iron band was wrapped around it, someone tightening it every time he thought about breaking the news of his departure to his best friend._

_How would Ichigo react? Would he care? Would Ichigo be as upset as he currently was? Or would Ichigo just brush it aside, knowing he had other friends to fall back on?_

_The suspense was killing him._

_He finally took a deep breath and rang the bell, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he waited for the door to open. When it did, he was relieved to see one of Ichigo's little sisters, instead of Ichigo himself. It was the light-haired one name Yuzu. "Hi, Gimm-joy," she greeted around the thumb in her mouth. She was wearing a set of pink pajamas and pink slippers, a lion plushie hanging from her free hand._

_Grimmjow waved and smiled down at her, "Hi, Yuzu. Where's Ichigo?" he asked._

_She turned and called towards the stairs, "Onii-chaaaan! Gimm-joy is heeeeere!"_

_Grimmjow laughed at the mispronunciation of his name as he followed the little girl into the warm house that smelled like home-cooked food. A very beautiful, reddish-orange haired woman made her way into the living room from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a white dish towel. "Hi, Grimmjow-kun. How are you today?" she asked with a warm, dimpled grin that reminded him of his orange-haired best friend._

" _I'm fine," he answered, unable to tear his eyes away from the older woman as she stooped and gathered Yuzu into her arms._

" _Yuzu-chan, haven't I told you no screaming in the house?" she softly chided._

_Yuzu nodded and lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry, Mommy."_

_Masaki nodded and ruffled a hand through the smaller girl's hair. "It's fine. Just try to remember next time, OK?"_

" _Yes, Mommy."_

_Masaki set the squirming toddler down and turned her sunshine smile back to Grimmjow, making him fidget. She arched a brow and started to say something, but Ichigo's thunderous appearance cut her off. "Grimm!" he shouted, excited smile plastered on his cherubic face. "I didn't know ya were comin' today!" he shouted, making his mother wince._

" _Ichigo, lower your voice," she said, voice ringing with amusement and the orange-haired boy grimaced._

" _Sorry, Mom. C'mon, Grimm, I got a new game yesterday! 'Member you said ya wanted to play Tekken 5? I figured I'd ask for that so we could play together," he babbled as he gripped Grimmjow's wrist and started pulling him up the stairs towards his room._

" _Grimmjow-kun, are you staying for dinner?" Masaki asked gently from the kitchen doorway, her eyes making Grimmjow feel like she knew exactly why he was there._

_He turned to glance at Ichigo, who had paused on the step above him, looking at him expectantly. Suddenly, Ichigo's face brightened as he turned to his mother. "Mom, can Grimm stay the night?" he asked. Grimmjow's eyes widened as he turned back to Masaki._

" _That's up to Grimmjow, Ichigo."_

_Ichigo scoffed as if the thought of Grimmjow saying no was ridiculous and normally, it would have been. "C'mon, Mom. You know he's gonna say yeah. Right, Grimm?"_

_Grimmjow gulped and frowned briefly before fixing his expression into one of happiness. "Yeah," answered._

_He couldn't do it._

_He couldn't tell his only friend that he was leaving for several years, tomorrow afternoon._

_Masaki nodded. "OK, I'll call your mother for you," she said before disappearing into the kitchen._

_Grimmjow nodded as well and followed behind his whooping and over-excited best friend, heart heavy and emotions squeezing him to death._

**XxxxxxxX**

" _Grimmjow, make sure you call me when you get there! Make sure Uncle Mayuri takes good care of you! I want updates every week, if you can!" his mom said tearily as she held a tissue and waved him off._

_Grimmjow nodded, unable to talk. He was sad that he had to leave, but he was happy that he was going to be able to follow his dream. His feelings were conflicted and in an absolute uproar. What was worse, he'd never told Ichigo he was leaving. He hadn't had the heart to do it. Now, he was wishing he could see the boy before he boarded a plane to America, putting miles and miles of water between them. His shoulders sagging with depression, he gripped his small suitcase and started for the security gate._

" _GRIMMJOW!"_

_He froze, eyes wide and mouth open, heart faltering in his chest._

_Impossible._

_There was no way he could be there._

_Grimmjow shook his head and continued forward, his grip on the handle of his suitcase turning his knuckles white. He had to have imagined Ichigo's voice calling out to him. Suddenly, running footsteps caught his attention, but before he could turn and see who was flying through the airport, another body barreled into him from behind._

_Heavy breathing was all he could hear, but the smell that hit him, made his eyes tear up involuntarily. Arms were wrapped around him in a tight bear hug, nearly crushing his ribs. "I-I...I tried...to catch you...before you left!" was gasped between deep pants._

_Grimmjow tried to turn to face him, but Ichigo refused to budge. "Let go," he said._

_Grimmjow could feel Ichigo shaking his head vigorously. "No, don't...don't look at me. J-just promise me one thing?" he whispered, his voice shaking._

_Grimmjow swallowed forcefully and nodded. "OK," he murmured._

_Ichigo took a few more gasping breaths before he responded. "Don't ever forget me and make sure you come back."_

_Grimmjow tried to turn, but Ichigo refused him, holding him in place. Resigned to his fate, he nodded, his throat clogging and making it difficult to talk. "I promise," he said and used his free hand to grip Ichigo's forearm. "I'll come back stronger and we can be friends again."_

" _Good. I'll see ya when ya get back, Grimm," Ichigo whispered, his voice still wobbly and breaking Grimmjow's heart._

" _Yeah," he whispered back and Ichigo released his grip and stepped back._

_Grimmjow didn't want to step on Ichigo's wishes, so he strode towards the security gate without looking back. He understood Ichigo's silent message._

_They would see each other again when Grimmjow returned._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**Seven Years Later**

"Thanks, Unc. I really 'preciate what ya've done for me," Grimmjow said to the older, dark-blue haired man.

Mayuri put a slim hand on Grimmjow's arm and gave him his customary, creepy grin. When Grimmjow had been ten, the sight of that same smile had always made him squirm uncomfortably; now, he was used to it. "It was no problem, Grimmjow. I couldn't very well resist the urge to help my favorite nephew after hearing your plight from Retsu," Mayuri stated, mustard-hued eyes glowing with mischief.

Grimmjow laughed, the sound vibrating his broad chest. "I'm your _only_ nephew."

Mayuri joined in the laughter. "Yes, well, that just makes my point for me."

Grimmjow sobered and studied his uncle. When he'd first arrived in America – New Jersey to be exact – he'd been wary of the older man he'd only seen all of five times in the past. He'd gotten off the plane and met Mayuri in the baggage claim, the then taller man greeting him warmly with one of those slightly unhinged grins. He had been fearful and homesick for the first year of his move, but something strange had happened as he'd entered the eighth grade.

"I gotta go, Unc. Thanks again for everythin'."

Mayuri nodded and patted him on the back. "Give your mother my love and tell her to call me more often," he stated with a slight frown.

Grimmjow nodded and hiked his gray and blue backpack higher onto his shoulder. He'd already checked his two suitcases into baggage, so he was ready to board. Grimmjow straightened his form-fitting, white t-shirt and stonewashed blue jeans before turning towards the doorway that led to the plane he would be riding. The announcement for the departure of his flight blared over the speakers and as he approached the doorway, he gave the man that had raised him for the past seven years, one last look and wave, then disappeared into the short corridor.

Grimmjow handed his ticket to the ticket handler and found his seat, right beside the window. He tried not to strut as he walked, noticing the admiring glances from women and men alike, some discreet, others no so much. He grinned smugly and ducking his head drastically, lowered himself into the seat, trying to position himself comfortably, so his knees wouldn't press so hard against the back of the seat in front of him. Grimmjow removed his backpack from his shoulder and set it in his lap, unzipping the smaller, lower compartment and pulling his iPod free. He unwrapped the headphones and stuck the neon orange buds in his ears, cranking up the first song on his 3OH!3 play list.

_Girl, I gotta go. I'm finished with the show_

_If you wanna **** me, I won't say no_

_T-T-T-Touchin on my ****, while I'm touchin on your ****_

_You know that we are gonna ****, cuz I don't give a ****_

Grimmjow closed his backpack and dropped it on the floor next to his size thirteen feet, then leaned back against the seat, glancing out of the small window to his right. His mind was pulled down a much traveled road, his thoughts automatically sinking into his past.

When he'd turned twelve years old, he'd been overjoyed to find that he'd grown a full three inches. Then, at the age of fourteen, he'd shot up an incredible six more inches. Fifteen saw him gaining ten more wonderful inches of height and sixteen met him with four added inches. Now, at the age of seventeen, he stood at a whopping 6'5", towering over most teens his age. He'd gone from runty little sixth grader, to tall and intimidating senior in high school. _Well, once he got back to Japan, he would be a third year student_.

That thought led him back to the person that constantly hovered over his conscience: _Ichigo_.

Grimmjow missed his best friend desperately, never allowing another person the privilege of that title. He was sure the orange-haired boy would understand the reason Grimmjow hadn't immediately returned for high school. Participating in American football in America would gain him invaluable experience and knowledge in the sport. He'd decided to stay and soak up as much as he could, but now, it was time for him to go back.

Grimmjow wondered if Ichigo thought about him the way Grimmjow did on a daily basis. He wondered what Ichigo looked like now. _Was he taller? Was his hair still that fiery orange? What was he into these days? Did they still have almost everything in common?_ Most of all, though, Grimmjow couldn't wait to see the expression on the other boy's face when he saw how much Grimmjow had changed over the years.

Grimmjow cracked a grin as a stewardess stood at the front of the cabin and played a short video on seat belt how-to. Just as the brunette demonstrated buckling the seat belts, Grimmjow felt his grin fading, disturbing thoughts dampening his high spirits.

_What if Ichigo didn't even think he was coming back at all? What if Ichigo had forgotten him, or brushed him aside? What if Ichigo didn't want to be friends anymore?_

Grimmjow felt his stomach heave dramatically as he tried to banish those negative thoughts. Thinking that way would do him absolutely no good.

 _He just hoped his best friend hadn't forgotten him or worse, just plain didn't want to be bothered_.

XOXOXO

**One Week Later**

Ichigo stared out of his bedroom window after sitting up and rubbing a hand over his face, trying to shoo away the remaining cobwebs of a deep, sick-free sleep. He'd already decided last night that he would return to school this morning and if he hadn't already told his old man about his decision, he probably would have changed his mind. He hadn't had a rest that satisfying for a whole week, in which he'd been so sick with a stomach virus, he'd had to stay out of school.

Ichigo sighed and tossed his aqua-colored, cotton sheet from his legs, the tangled mass shifting to the side in a soft lump. He moved to the edge of the bed and lowered his feet to the floor, his body still unused to moving around so much, but he outright refused to miss more classes. _Besides, he wasn't sick anymore and it didn't make sense to stay home just because he wanted to be lazy_. He dragged himself out of his room and into the bathroom, where he proceeded to shower and brush his teeth.

**XxxxxxX**

"Ichiiiiiigooooo!"

Ichigo grimaced at the deafening sound of his old man's booming voice as he shut the refrigerator, a carton of orange juice in hand. Isshin entered the kitchen and gave an endless smile that showed every last one of his teeth and stretched across his scruffy jaw. Ichigo rolled his eyes and poured himself a tall glass of the cold beverage, deciding ignoring the retarded older man was his best option.

Isshin crossed the space between them in three long strides, stopping beside Ichigo with his hands on his hips, still wearing that maniacal grin. "Ichigo! Papa is so proud of you!" he shouted.

Ichigo waited until he'd swallowed his juice to give his father a deadpan stare. "What the hell're you goin' on about?" he asked, confused by the man's random statement.

"You're getting older and more mature! You made the decision to return to school on your own! Pa-"

Ichigo placed his hand over his old man's face, effectively cutting him off. He gave a slight shove and pushed Isshin away from him. "You're so noisy and it's too early for that shit," he muttered, walking away and heading out of the kitchen.

 _He was going to be late if he stayed around listening to his father further lose his mind_.

"Ichigo, language!" Isshin admonished, following behind him to the front door.

Ichigo grunted and slid his feet into his shoes, nabbing his messenger bag from the hooks near the door and sliding the strap over his shoulder. Isshin suddenly sobered and studied Ichigo, making him pause at the door and watch his old man right back.

_What the hell was he thinking about?_

"Ichigo, my son, try to have a good day," Isshin said somberly, his dark eyes serious and concerned.

Ichigo winced and nodded shortly, anxious to get away from the abruptly tense atmosphere. He slipped out of the house and started the ten block walk to Karakura High School, his mind a muddled concoction of thoughts and emotions. His old man had unconsciously just dredged up everything that Ichigo hated about his life these days.

He missed his mom, who had passed away six years ago in a tragic car accident and he missed his best friend, who had moved away seven years ago. The pain from the death of his mother was a little easier to deal with because he knew without a doubt that she wasn't coming back. She was gone, her ashes buried in a cemetery plot a few miles away from his home.

 _She was dead_.

His best friend, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. Grimmjow had promised to come back for high school, promised that Ichigo would see him again and they could go back to being closer than brothers. Grimmjow had promised to come back stronger and Ichigo had been looking forward to it more than he looked forward to Christmas.

The first day of high school, he stood at the entrance until well past the first bell, anxious and excited as he searched the crowd of teens for the familiar blue hair and glacial blue eyes. There had been hundreds of students filing into the building that day, but none of them with the characteristics he wanted to see. _Needed_ to see.

The bell had rung and Ichigo had been forced inside by one of the teachers. _He'd even gotten a detention for resisting_. That routine had gone on for the entire first two months of school, until his old man had been called in and Ichigo had been threatened with expulsion for his behavior.

 _He didn't care_.

 _Had Grimmjow gone to a different high school?_ There was one across town, but mostly frequented by the richer population of Karakura.

 _Had something happened to delay Grimmjow's trip? Was he OK? Was he_... _dead?_

Thoughts of that nature had plagued him constantly, making it impossible to sleep, sometimes even eat. Then, there were the equally disturbing thoughts of Grimmjow having forgotten about him and deciding to stay where he was. _In America_. _Away from him_.

Ichigo swallowed furiously as his mind wrapped around the image of a small, blue-haired and blue-eyed boy with a wide, nearly feral grin and the heart of a lion. _Kami, he missed his friend_. He had really hoped Grimmjow hadn't forgotten him, but as time marched on and Ichigo reached his third year of high school, he'd given up hope of ever seeing his best friend again.

Grimmjow had either forgotten him, or he was dead. Either way, Ichigo didn't think he'd ever see him again and it broke his heart.

It turned him into the boy he was today. _He didn't really care about much_. He was surly and always scowling and only did just enough to get by in school. He hadn't had any plans to go to college, but his old man had told him that he needed to go to make a living and he also needed to do something to take his mind off of his troubles. Ichigo decided to join the track team. He figured running was the perfect metaphor for his life at the moment, not to mention, it reminded him of Grimmjow.

Ichigo had done a heap of research just so he would be able to follow the game of American football and have some type of knowledge about the sport that his best friend had enjoyed so much. Grimmjow had wanted to be a running back, which involved running and dodging opponents while trying to make it to the end zone for a touch-down. It was a thrilling position and Ichigo had been eager to see the other boy playing it.

Ichigo kicked fiercely at a soda can rolling down the sidewalk as he scowled like someone had taken his most precious possession. _In a way, someone had_. Ichigo glanced up at the cloudless blue sky, inhaling the scent of fresh cherry blossoms and a beautiful Spring morning. He adjusted his short-sleeved school shirt and gray uniform pants, self-conscious of his bright orange hair that he was sure was practically glowing under the beaming, morning sun. It was nice, but a bit breezy, making goosebumps cover his arms as he quickened his pace.

The only person that wasn't family that had embraced his fantastically bright hair, had been Grimmjow. Even Tatsuki, Chado and Inoue teased him sometimes, but Grimmjow had never done so. He'd always looked at Ichigo's hair with reverence and awe, claiming he thought it was cool.

Ichigo's scowl deepened. He didn't understand why the kami felt it was necessary to put him through so much pain, so much angst. Sure he still had his childhood friends, had even made a new one in high school. Hell, he even had an active sex life, but it was nothing compared to the emptiness that enveloped him from the inside out. Grimmjow's absence had created a moon crater in his heart and the hole had yet to heal.

Ichigo lifted his head and glanced up at the looming, gray, stone building that was Karakura High. He blew out a disappointed sigh and moved past the front gates, fitting his mask of indifference over his face securely before he was spotted by any of his friends.

"Yo, Ichigo!" a deep, gruff voice yelled from near the double door entrance.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes as they landed on his more recently made friend. The taller boy sauntered over, a black backpack slung over his broad left shoulder and his fire engine-red hair up in a ponytail. A white bandana was wrapped around his head, almost covering his tattooed eyebrows and russet-colored eyes and a wide, mischievous grin was spread across his face. His school shirt had the first three buttons undone and his black tie hung limply around the shirt's collar. His pants were wrinkled and kind of baggy, but Ichigo knew for a fact that the guy didn't give a crap.

"Ya finally made it back, eh?" Renji continued, deep voice vibrating the ground.

Ichigo nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets as he studied Renji's handsome face, frowning a bit as he did so. _Renji was never this happy this early in the morning_. A gaggle of girls walked past them giggling and whispering.

"Yeah, did you see him? Oh my god, he's so tall and handsome!"

"I know, right?"

Ichigo frowned as his eyes followed the girls, wondering who the new flavor of the month was. Girls were so finicky and fickle. They changed crushes like they changed panties; it was disgusting. It was also the reason Ichigo found himself not attracted to them. He turned back to Renji and huffed. _There it was again_. Renji was wearing this grin that gave Ichigo the heebie jeebies.

"What the fuck's your problem, moron?" Ichigo snapped, tired of being left in the dark to whatever Renji found amusing.

Renji's grin turned obnoxious in a heartbeat, wide and filthy and completely getting under Ichigo's skin. Renji opened his mouth to speak, but was slapped in the back of the head hard by Tatsuki, who had just approached them with Chado and Inoue in tow.

Renji whirled on his heel and glared down at the shorter female, who was glaring right back, except her glare was a million times more potent. "What the fuck, shorty?" Renji snarled.

Tatsuki glanced at Ichigo, but immediately returned her attention to the upset red head. "Oh, give it a rest, idiot. That's how I greet you all the time," she snapped, but her eyes said otherwise.

Ichigo was no fool. Tatsuki's mouth was saying one thing, but her eyes were saying another. Those dark brown eyes were screaming "If you don't shut the fuck up, I'll kick your ass!" Ichigo figured if there was something they didn't want to tell him, then that was fine. He glanced over at Chado and was surprised to see the silent giant giving him a tiny, little, miniscule smirk. Anyone outside of their group wouldn't have been able to recognize it, but Ichigo saw it and it made a chill slide down his back.

_Was Chado in on the secret too?_

Ichigo let his eyes move to Inoue, who was smiling brightly, her steel gray eyes crinkling in the corners. Ichigo probably would have been suspicious, had her smile not been an everyday occurrence, but it was, so he couldn't tell if she was in on the secret as well.

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!" she chirped cheerfully and waved.

Ichigo nodded and grunted a greeting, his attention going back to the squabbling red-haired male and raven-haired female between them. Tatsuki had her hands on her hips, her feet spread shoulder-width apart and her brows creased in a furious scowl. Her school shirt and skirt flattered her slim figure, but Tatsuki always managed to look like a tomboy with the added gray sweatbands around her wrists.

Renji stood stiffly glaring down at her, his reddish-brown eyes narrowed and his wide mouth pursed into a tight ball. Tension rolled off of both of them, but something clicked in Ichigo's mind and it suddenly made him laugh. Tatsuki and Renji turned to look at him like he'd lost his mind as he doubled over, clutching his gut and howling with mirth.

"I-Ichi-go," Tatsuki started nervously, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

Renji was in no better condition as he arched a brow and watched him warily. "What's goin' on, Ichigo?" he growled.

Ichigo slowed his laughter and tried to catch his breath, stomach still clenching from random spasms. "Oh, kami! Oh, kami, I get it now!" he stated, still spastically chuckling. "It's so obvious!"

Suddenly, a panicked look descended over Renji's features as he stepped right in front of Ichigo, looming over his 5'10" by three inches. "Shut up," he said quietly and way more seriously than Ichigo could have believed him capable of.

Ichigo sobered and studied his friend's face, getting the message loud and clear. Ichigo was right, but Renji didn't want anyone to know just yet. Ichigo nodded and his face resumed its usual scowling countenance as the bell sounded and they all started off towards their respective classes.

**XxxxxxX**

Ichigo stared out the window, eager for class to be over and done with already. Lunch had come and gone, but he hadn't had much of an appetite, so he'd decided to stay inside and catch a nap. _Now, he was just anxious to get to practice so he could get home and clear his mind_. All day, strange things had been happening. His friends were obviously holding out on some juicy bit of information, Renji obviously had a crush on Tatsuki and to top off the weirdness of the day, there was a new kid that had all the girls – and even some of the guys – worked into a lusty lather.

He was supposedly ridiculously tall and muscular and really good at American football. He'd only been there a week and after one tryout for the team, the coach, Kenpachi Zaraki, had recruited him eagerly. Ichigo had tried to get some information from Renji, who was also on the American football team, but the red head was still mad at him for almost exposing his little secret and refused to talk to him, so there went that option. Ichigo sighed and rested his chin in his hand, his elbow on his desk.

 _He'd just have to find out on his own, then_.

The bell rang and shook the students from their stupors, excited chattering erupting almost immediately. Ichigo shook his head in amusement as he stood and gathered his book, sliding it into his bag and slinging the bag over his shoulder. Yamamoto-sensei had a habit of putting his students to sleep with his boring lectures and monotone voice. Ichigo never did think the old man was suited for being a Literature teacher.

Ichigo dragged himself from the classroom and headed through the throngs of happy students, slowly making his way to the boys' locker room to change and get ready for practice. _He was sure Yoruichi-sensei was already there cracking her whip_. He shuddered and pushed through the large, blue metal door that screamed on its hinges and required much more effort than should have been necessary to open the damned thing.

Ichigo traversed past the first three rows, going for his locker, but was pulled into a darkened section of the locker room by a strong pair of arms. A firm set of lips pressed against his and Ichigo grinned into the kiss, immediately recognizing the culprit by his unique smell. _Cinnamon and vanilla_. Ichigo opened his mouth to allow the other person's warm tongue entrance, tangling and contorting it with his own.

Pulling away from the drugging kiss to breathe, Ichigo peered through the darkness and grinned saucily. "Couldn't wait 'til after school?" he asked airily.

The dark-haired male grinned back and shook his head, spiky hair appearing to stand on end and coal-colored eyes twinkling playfully. "Nope. I've been thinkin' 'bout you all day," he murmured, leaning in for another kiss.

Ichigo chuckled and ran a hand through the other male's soft hair as he pecked his lips. "Well, you know we can't do anything right now. Yoruichi will kill me if I miss practice...again," he added as an afterthought.

"I know, I know. She's such a bitch," the dark-haired male griped. Ichigo nodded his agreement, slowly running his hand down the back of the other boy's neck. "Oh, yeah! Did you see the new kid, yet?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and dropped his hands. _Not him too_. "No, Shuu, I haven't. Why? What's so special about him?"

"You mean _other_ than the fact that he's a fucking giant?" Shuuhei asked incredulously, giving Ichigo a gentle shove out of the dark corner, where the old and unused shower stalls were.

"Well, that's nothing new. Look at Nnoitra! He's like eight feet fucking tall, but no one's orgasming in the halls over him. Yammy and Hachi are big as hell, too. I just don't see what all the fuss is about," Ichigo groused as he went to his locker and opened it, pulling his practice shorts and tee free.

Shuuhei sat on the bench in the middle of the U-shaped group of lockers and shrugged. "Well, that's the thing. This guy isn't just big, he's really good-looking, too. He's got this crazy b-"

"Yo, Hisagi! Ya gonna sit there and bump yer gums all day with yer little girlfriend er what? We got a practice ta get ta!" a short, white-haired male called from the opening of the group of lockers.

Shuuhei glared at the other teen and gave him the finger. "Fuck off, Di Roy. I'll be there when I get there," he growled.

Di Roy cracked a strange grin and gave Shuuhei the finger right back. "Not if I have anythin' ta do wit' it. Ya know Izuru-sensei is jus' waitin' fer ya ta fuck up!" he said with a cackle before disappearing from view.

Ichigo shook his head and turned to look at Shuuhei. _Even though he was curious about what the dark-haired boy had been about to say, he decided Shuuhei's position on the tennis team was more important_. "You should go. You know that little fucker has it out for you," he stated before turning his back and dropping his uniform pants.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Shuuhei staring at his legs hungrily, his eyes traveling up and lingering on his ass. He chuckled and wiggled his bottom a bit, making Shuuhei glance up at him, inky eyes smoldering with lust. "You'll pay for that," he muttered as he stood and wrapped his arms around Ichigo's waist from behind, pressing a small kiss to his temple. "Just watch."

With that, Shuuhei shoved off and Ichigo finished dressing alone. The locker room had cleared of other boys while they'd been in their special corner by the showers that were no longer functional, but the school hadn't had time to get rid of them. They'd instead built bigger and better ones on the opposite side of the huge room.

Ichigo stuffed his uniform into his locker along with his bag before leaving the sweat-smelling room and heading up the stairs that led out to the sports field. There was the four hundred meter track that surrounded the American football field, then a couple hundred meters to the left were the tennis courts and a few hundred meters from those was the soccer field. The baseball field was over a hill, on the opposite side of the school campus and they even had an indoor pool near the academic wing.

Ichigo jogged out to the track, noticing the presence of the football team on the field, their kami-like bodies making Ichigo feel like a kid in a candy store. Ichigo spotted Nnoitra Jiruga immediately, his tall, lanky form standing to the side of the bench and beside a few of his other teammates. His red jersey sported the number "05" on the back in bold white print.

Hachigen Ushoda, Yammy Riyalgo and Zommari Leroux were on the field, their respective numbers "09", "10" and "07". Ichigo knew they were the linemen, along with two other gorgeous guys named Starrk Coyote and Kensei Muguruma. Starrk was "01" and Kensei was "69". Ichigo wondered what the sixty-nine was about, hoping maybe it was something perverted like he thought it was.

Ichigo spotted Renji standing next to the bench beside Nnoitra and a few other members of the team. His number "11" stood out on his red jersey, the shirt nearly blending in with his hair. Renji was talking to the pink-haired quarterback – whose name was Szayel Aporro Grantz and number was "08" - and another person Ichigo didn't recognize. The guy was sitting, but still heads above everyone else on the bench. He wore a helmet and the number "06" on the back of his red jersey. Ichigo admired the boy's long, muscular legs that were stretched out in front of him, wondering what he looked like underneath that helmet.

Then, he realized that that must be the new guy everyone was so in love with. _Well, if those legs were an indication of the rest of the package, then he could see why the entire population of Karakura High seemed to be in love with him_. Shaking his head, Ichigo jogged over to where the track team was already stretching and warming up, Yoruichi-sensei at the head of the group, her whistle poised at the edge of her pouty lips.

Ichigo tried to blend in with the rest of the team, easing over beside Tatsuki and Chado, but to no avail. Yoruichi's sharp gaze found him and ripped him apart, without her even needing to say anything. The look she gave him let him know that he had a lot of two hundred meter dashes to look forward to.

Ichigo started a set of lunges and glanced over at Tatsuki, who was wearing a small, secretive grin, her eyes locked on the football field. Ichigo followed her gaze and arched his brows in surprise as he realized she was watching Renji rather avidly. The red head was tossing back a bottle of Gatorade and reaching for his helmet on the bench beside the new guy.

The new guy used that time to stand, adjust his helmet and insert his mouth-guard, completely knocking Ichigo off balance. _He couldn't believe the size of him_. He was tall, maybe an inch or two shorter than Nnoitra and built like an underwear model. His arms were thick with muscle, but not grotesquely so and his legs were long and extremely muscular. Ichigo didn't even know legs had that many muscle groups.

His mouth hanging open, Ichigo watched the boy stride confidently onto the field and take up position a few meters from Szayel. Nnoitra stood on the opposite side of the pink-haired quarterback and everyone else formed the line. Renji's position as tight end afforded him flexibility on the field, but Ichigo wasn't even thinking of that as he watched the new guy lean forward, eyes focused in front of him.

Ichigo felt like he was watching a real game, the tension and anticipation that intense. He rose to his full height and shamelessly watched as Hachi hiked the oblong ball into Szayel's hands and the other members of the team sprang into action. Ichigo kept his eyes on the new guy, though. _Number "06"_. He ran towards Szayel and Ichigo realized it when the ball exchanged hands. Six had the ball tucked into the crook of his left arm and was heading directly through the middle of the line that Hachi, Yammy, Starrk and Kensei had broken wide open.

Six maneuvered through the gap effortlessly, dodging opponents and shoving aside those that got in his way. He was like a mack truck at 150 miles per hour, slicing through the other boys like a hot knife through butter. Ichigo was amazed and stunned. He continued to watch as Six went on to score a touchdown, Nnoitra – the only one able to match him in height – running up to him and jumping into the air to bump shoulders with him.

Before Ichigo could do anything else, a whistle was blown in his ear, making him wince and whip around to lock gazes with a pissed Yoruichi-sensei. Her golden eyes were furious and Ichigo knew he was in trouble. "Kurosaki, I didn't know you were so eager to test your two hundred meter skills," she crooned.

Ichigo sighed and without saying a word, trudged off towards the starting line at the curve of the track. He cursed his inattentive behavior, knowing for a fact that he had a lot of running to look forward to, but he hadn't been able to help himself. There had been no way he could have kept his eyes off the new guy.

 _He was talented and had an amazing body_.

Ichigo lowered himself into the starting position, crouched down to where his right knee touched the ground and his arms were braced by the thumbs and forefingers of each hand. Yoruichi blew the whistle and Ichigo raised his right knee, poised to take off at the next whistle. Once she blew it, he shot away from the line like a bullet from a gun. His arms and legs pumped vigorously as he settled into a quick stride.

Ichigo loved the breeze against his face as the world hurried past him. He was just getting into the swing of things when he reached the other end near the scoreboard and had to slow his stride, placing his hands on his hips as he tipped his head back and gulped down huge lungfuls of air. The run had been invigorating and officially had his heart pounding and his blood rushing.

 _He loved it_.

He lowered his head and took in his surroundings, his lazy perusal coming to a grinding halt when he realized he was being watched. Six was standing at the football field's sideline closest to Ichigo, staring at him avidly. The sun was blocking Ichigo from seeing anything other than the boy's enormous silhouette, but Ichigo knew without a doubt, he had gained the boy's attention somehow.

Ichigo averted his gaze, uncomfortable with how intently the other boy was staring at him. _What the hell was his deal anyway? Had he never seen someone running on a track before?_ Ichigo knew the notion was ridiculous, but that was the way it seemed. Without warning, Six started towards him, leaving the football field even though Kenpachi was screaming his head off at him, and stepped onto the track with slow purposeful steps.

Ichigo's heart jumped into his throat as he watched the boy's walk. It was sexy, confident and calm, but there was also something familiar about it. Six finally stopped right in front of him and Ichigo had to crane his neck and tilt his head back, just to see his eyes. The sun's glare prevented it, though, pissing him off as he visored his own eyes. Six stepped closer and finally blocked the obnoxious sun, but what Ichigo saw made his breath catch in his chest as he stood rooted to the spot.

Devilish, electric blue eyes gazed down at him, a mile-wide, feral grin creasing an angular face.

Ichigo felt like his heart was seizing between slow, hard thumps. He put a hand to his chest as his mouth opened slightly. _There was only one person he knew with eyes that startlingly blue_. Six pulled his helmet off and Ichigo gasped at the sight of that bright blue hair, stubborn strands hanging over the brow and bright blue eyebrows arched perfectly. Ichigo couldn't breathe, couldn't even think beyond the fact that he was looking at the boy he'd missed like a severed limb.

 _And with good reason_.

Ichigo didn't recognize this insanely tall, muscular, spectacularly handsome...young man. The friend he remembered was small and petite for his age. _A boy_. This guy was just in a league of his own, making every other male Ichigo had ever encountered pale in comparison.

"Hey," Six said and his voice was like...that first sip of hot chocolate during a cold, Winter's night. It was deep, rich and smooth and slid over Ichigo like a thick blanket, making him shiver, even though he was nowhere near cold. "Sorry I'm late, but I told ya I'd be back."

Ichigo nearly swooned to the floor as he stared up at his best friend. _The boy he had already given up hope of ever seeing again_. "Grimm?" he breathed.

Six's grin turned into an amused smirk and his blue eyes softened as he nodded. "Yeah, it's me, Ichigo."

 _Grimmjow_.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow stood staring down at his old best friend, heart hammering and chest tight with an emotion he hadn't felt since the last time he'd seen Ichigo. After being in Japan for a week and seeing no sign of the orange-haired boy, he'd begun wondering if Ichigo even attended the same school. Then, he'd seen the tall brunet, the short raven-haired girl and the cheerful orange-haired girl that Ichigo used to hang out with when they were younger, so he'd approached them and asked about him.

The answers he'd received had been unsatisfying at the most. He'd been told that they didn't know what he was talking about and hadn't seen Ichigo since middle school. _Well, that had been after they'd gotten over the initial shock of his changes_. He wasn't that puny little kid they remembered and Grimmjow supposed it had taken some getting used to.

A week had gone by with the same results and he was at his wit's end, ready to charge Ichigo's old address, not even sure if the boy still lived there or not and then...he'd appeared. _Just like that_. Grimmjow had just finished scoring a touchdown during practice, when he'd noticed a blur of tanned skin and bright orange hair shooting past him on the track surrounding the football field. His mind had blanked out as he'd watched the other boy running with a cheetah's grace. His long-legged stride was perfectly text book, legs muscular and strong-looking, but at the same time lean and wiry. His arms were toned and accented the rest of his body flawlessly.

Grimmjow followed him with his eyes and hadn't realized he'd done so with his body as well, until he registered Kenpachi screaming about leaving the field during a practice. By then, it was too late and he'd already been entranced by the sight of the boy he'd missed more than his own mother while he'd been in America.

Grimmjow was only vaguely aware of Ichigo staring right back at him as he stepped onto the track, headed straight for the orange-haired male. Ichigo was wearing an uncharacteristic scowl that furrowed his orange brows and turned his full lips down in the corners. His hair was longer than Grimmjow remembered, reaching about the third vertebrae of his spine and nearly covering his left eye and his face had lost its previous childish roundness.

 _This Ichigo was grown and extremely sexy_.

Grimmjow slowly approached him, his mouth creasing into a smile as he closed the gap between them. _It was him_. _It was HIS Ichigo_. _His best friend_. He stopped in front of the other boy, heart trying to cease beating as he gazed down at those molten brown eyes he'd longed to see again. Ichigo tipped his head back to look up at him, his face confused and annoyed and Grimmjow realized that the sun was blocking his view. He knew the exact moment recognition hit Ichigo when he stepped forward to keep the sun from hindering Ichigo's view.

Those eyes...those warm, kind, pecan-brown eyes widened drastically and Ichigo put a hand to his chest, his mouth slipping open as he stared up at him. Grimmjow pulled his helmet off and allowed his grin to spread when it seemed like Ichigo's eyes would fall right out of his head. He spoke to his best friend, just wanting to hear his voice after seven long years of separation. "Hey. Sorry I'm late, but I told ya I'd be back."

"Grimm?" Ichigo breathed and Grimmjow had to stifle a shudder.

Ichigo's voice was no longer that of an adolescent's. It was deep and husky, but still held that comforting tone Grimmjow had always clung to. Not only that, but just the sound of the name Ichigo used to call him, was enough to have him swaying in place from the sudden strong wave of nostalgia that crashed over him.

Grimmjow grinned, the urge to hug the other boy almost overwhelming. Instead, he nodded and confirmed Ichigo's suspicions. "Yeah, it's me, Ichigo."

Ichigo listed to the side and his face paled. Grimmjow almost panicked, but stopped himself when he realized Ichigo was fine and already regaining his lost composure. The orange-haired boy's face flushed as he averted his gaze, a shy smile suddenly blooming over his handsome features and stealing what little breath Grimmjow had been trying to hold on to.

And then, Ichigo leaned forward and wrapped his slim arms tightly around Grimmjow's mid-section. Grimmjow inhaled sharply, unsure of how to react, just like that time all those years ago, before he dropped his helmet to the ground and slowly brought his arms up to embrace his best friend. Emotions filled his chest like a water balloon as his eyes stung and threatened to overflow.

 _Kami_...

Ichigo let out a deep breath as if he'd been holding it in for seven years and began speaking, his voice muffled by Grimmjow's chest. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I thought you were dead or something. I thought maybe you didn't wanna come back and that you forgot about me," he mumbled.

Grimmjow scowled and tightened his hold on the other boy, not realizing that doing so, lifted Ichigo's feet from the ground. "Hell no," he disagreed. "I just wanted ta get as much experience as I could in the game 'fore I came back. I figured we could go ta college tagether and catch up on things," he rambled before taking a deep breath and attacking the meat of the situation. "I thought ya'd forgotten about me. I didn' even know if ya attended this school. I was ready ta come lookin' for ya at yer old address. Ya still livin' there?"

Ichigo nodded and chuckled. "Yeah. We haven't moved yet," he answered. Ichigo looked up at him, his sable brown eyes mischievous. "I'm glad you didn't forget about me, Grimm, but d'you think you could put me down, now?"

Grimmjow blushed when he realized he'd been holding the teen off the ground unconsciously. "S-sorry," he muttered, embarrassed as he let him down gently and stepped back.

Ichigo just stared at him for a few beats. "You certainly came back stronger alright," he said quietly, his eyes finding Grimmjow's with a bashful uncertainty.

Grimmjow cracked a grin and nodded. "Yup. I started growin' when I turned twelve and didn' know how ta stop 'til I hit this height."

Ichigo whistled and nodded his approval. "How tall are you exactly?"

"Six-five."

"Holy shit."

Grimmjow laughed and ruffled Ichigo's soft, orange hair affectionately. "Guess ya don' gotta protect me now, huh?" he teased, making Ichigo's face turn a brilliant shade of maroon.

"No, I guess not," Ichigo agreed.

There was a short moment of silence where all they did was exchange looks. Finally, Grimmjow couldn't take it anymore and opened his mouth to speak, but obviously Ichigo had the same idea.

"I mi-"

"I rea-"

Grimmjow snapped his mouth shut, waving his hand and indicating that Ichigo should continue. Ichigo continued to blush and shrugged nonchalantly. "I was just gonna say that I missed you...while you were...gone," he said softly, eyes on the ground.

Grimmjow felt his face tingling with warmth as he grinned and watched his best friend stammer like a shy little girl. "I missed you, too, Ichigo."

They locked eyes and Grimmjow swore he would never separate from his best friend, ever again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Ichigo couldn't stop staring. Not only was his best friend back, but he was drop-dead gorgeous and big as life. He was tall, all kinds of muscular and his voice! _Kami, his fucking voice could turn boulders into rivers of soup_. Grimmjow still had his bright blue locks that had always intrigued Ichigo and his eyes were still the same atmospheric blue, deeper than the ocean and still full of mischief.

He and Grimmjow had left the football field and the track, completely oblivious to their coaches' ranting and shouting because they were thoroughly engrossed in one another, exchanging shy but curious glances. Grimmjow towered over him, making Ichigo feel almost insignificant walking beside him as they made their way to the locker room. He wanted to say something to the bigger, blue-haired boy, but everything he wanted to ask, wanted to know, was stuck in his mouth, refusing to be put into speech. _He was so nervous_. He really couldn't get over the fact that the boy he'd thought he'd never see again was standing right before him.

 _And he still wanted to be friends with him_.

After seeing the new Grimmjow, Ichigo would have thought that Grimmjow wouldn't want to be bothered with someone like him. Ichigo wasn't popular; in fact, he tried his hardest to blend in. Grimmjow was already quite popular, even though he'd only been there for a week. Ichigo wondered if any of the other students remembered Grimmjow as the tiny kid from middle school.

"So," Grimmjow started, gravelly baritone breaking the awkward silence hanging between them. "I never knew ya liked runnin'."

Ichigo huffed a breath, embarrassed at his real reason for taking up Track. "I didn't, but...I guess things change," he replied evasively.

Grimmjow shot him a look, a thin, blue brow arched. He didn't say anything until they reached the locker room and Ichigo was making his way towards his locker, which, coincidentally, happened to be directly across from Grimmjow's. Ichigo stood uncomfortably before the metal storage compartment, feeling the weighty stare coming from his best friend and wondering what he'd done.

"Have _you_ changed, Ichigo?"

He didn't know why, but for some reason, that question rubbed him the wrong way, made his hair bristle and his upper lip curl back. "Everyone changes," he snapped, turning his back to Grimmjow and furiously twisting the combination into the lock.

The silence was deafening. Ichigo immediately felt bad for speaking to his best friend that way, but there had been something in Grimmjow's tone that had raised his hackles. As soon as the lock popped open, Ichigo removed it and opened the locker, snatching free his uniform and schoolbag.

"Not really. Yer still throwin' tantrums, even though we're seventeen," Grimmjow finally said.

Ichigo whirled around to face him, a waspish retort on the tip of his tongue, but everything suspended in mid-air and his heart seized behind his ribs. Grimmjow had his back to Ichigo, but...he was only wearing the tight, white, knee-length pants of his football uniform and a pair of black socks. His jersey, shoulder pads and torso guards were lying on the wooden bench behind him as he dug through his locker for a shirt, Ichigo assumed.

Although, that was the last thing Ichigo wanted at the moment.

Grimmjow's back was like a work of art. It was broad and sculpted, angular in all the right places and muscular in all the others. His arms and shoulders were thick as bungee cords and Ichigo found himself hoping and wishing that Grimmjow would just turn around.

 _Someone up there liked him_.

Grimmjow slowly turned, eyebrow arched and school shirt in hand. "Am I right?" he asked.

Ichigo didn't even hear him. _Well, no, he heard him, but it was like background noise in a restaurant_ : _something no one really paid any mind to_. His eyes were stuck to the magnum opus that was his best friend's chest; the blue-haired boy had a torso that belonged on a Greek bust. His skin was tanned and flawless, his pectorals looked firm, but supple and his abdomen was so defined, Ichigo found it intensely hard to keep from counting each and every indentation and muscle. The tantalizing V that disappeared underneath the waistband of the white, football pants made him want to cry in frustration. Then, he remembered who he was gawking at and forced his eyes higher, a telling blush covering his entire face and neck.

Grimmjow smirked. "I look good, don' I?" he asked, lifting his right arm and flexing his bicep.

While Ichigo was sure Grimmjow only meant to put his arm on display, _everything_ tightened and shifted and Ichigo was hard-pressed not to drool. Inwardly kicking himself, he snorted and turned away from the sinfully tempting sight his best friend presented.

"Not hardly. Don't flatter yourself, baka," he answered as he pulled his own shirt off.

There was a short silence that made him peer over his shoulder. What he saw caught him off guard; Grimmjow was staring at his back with a confused scowl. His friend shook his head slightly and the look disappeared, a shit-eating grin replacing it. "Whatever, Ichigo. Yer eyes told an entirely different story. S'OK, though. I'll jus' _pretend_ I didn' see ya visually rapin' me."

Ichigo flushed and turned, aiming a stick of deodorant at Grimmjow's head. "Fuck off!" he yelled, mortified that he'd been caught.

Grimmjow's contagious laughter filled the silent locker room as he ducked, avoiding the deodorant that clanged into the locker beside him and the sound, although deeper, was completely nostalgic and made Ichigo's heart swell, until he too was laughing heartily.

 _It almost felt like old times_.

Their eyes locked and Grimmjow gave him a lop-sided grin that totally took Ichigo back to their childhood. Sure, Grimmjow had changed, had done a lot of growing, but underneath it all, he was still the same kid Ichigo had grown to love like a brother.

"Speakin' a'which. Ya still a virgin, Ichigo?" Grimmjow suddenly asked.

Ichigo blushed and pursed his lips. He didn't know what had brought about the abrupt change of topic, but it had his heart and stomach feeling as if they were trying out for gymnastics. He wasn't sure how Grimmjow felt about homosexuality, so he didn't know what to say. Unfortunately, Grimmjow took his silence as an affirmative answer.

"Jeez, I thought ya woulda gotten some way before me," he grunted, pulling his school shirt on and effectively blocking the view of his magnificent torso.

Ichigo puffed his chest, his pride hurt. "I ain't a virgin, Grimm!" he snapped.

Grimmjow gave him a curious, but hard glance, his head tilted to the side. "Who'd ya fuck?"

Ichigo frowned at the callous tone in his best friend's voice. "Who'd _you_ fuck?" he retorted defensively.

 _If he didn't know any better, he would've thought that Grimmjow sounded jealous and angry_.

Grimmjow snorted and focused on buttoning his shirt. "Some chick. I don' even 'member her name."

Ichigo turned away again, surprised at the burning in his gut that Grimmjow's answer caused. He shouldn't have been surprised that his best friend wasn't a virgin, but for some reason, something festered and flared at the thought. Swallowing forcefully, Ichigo slipped into his white, school shirt, buttoned it and hung his tie loosely around his neck.

Grimmjow had given him an answer and now it was his turn to respond. _It also appeared that Grimmjow was straight, since he'd lost his virginity to a girl, so how would he take the news of Ichigo being gay?_ Ichigo certainly didn't like girls and he'd lost his virginity to a guy. He shot a cursory glance over his shoulder and almost sagged with disappointment at seeing Grimmjow boring a hole into him with those piercing blue eyes, obviously waiting for Ichigo's answer.

Sighing in defeat, he went for it. "I, uh, I lost mine to a...to a guy."

"Oh yeah? How'd that go?"

Ichigo whirled around in shock. _Grimmjow didn't care? He didn't even seem surprised_. "Y-you don't care? I mean, you know that means I'm gay, right?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "Yer gay, I'm bi. All means the same ta me."

Ichigo's face slackened and his jaw threatened to fall clean off his face. "S-so, you...you..."

Grimmjow had just draped his tie around his neck, when Ichigo began stuttering like an idiot. He grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I like guys, too. I mean, it's less of a hassle dealin' wit' a guy when it comes ta emotions, but when I'm really drunk an' horny an' can't be bothered with preppin' and fumblin' for lube, I'll take a girl home."

Ichigo scowled. "What d'you mean with the emotions thing?" he questioned, confused by his best friend's logic.

"Well, I ain' lookin' for a _relationship_. I know most people only like me now 'cuz a'my height an' 'cuz I play American football an' shit, so no matter where I look, I ain' gonna find somebody that jus' likes _me_. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques. And guys are less naggin' than females when it comes ta that sorta thing. Less clingy, too, ya see?"

Ichigo had been put off by one statement. " _I_ like you."

Grimmjow's eyes widened briefly before he smiled and waved a large hand dismissively. "Yeah, but yer my best friend. I'm talkin' 'bout romantically an' sexually."

"Uhn," Ichigo grunted, turning back to his locker to remove his shorts and slip into his school pants.

His mind was in turmoil, full of questions and unfamiliar emotions. It was bad enough that he was lusting after his best friend, but now, he was feeling jealous that said best friend was no longer a virgin and slighted because said best friend didn't even consider him as a sexual or romantic option.

 _He shouldn't care_.

 _He shouldn't even have anger rolling around in the pit of his stomach_.

... _But he did and it was driving him crazy_.

XOXOXO

"So, where you living, now?" Ichigo asked.

Grimmjow shrugged and tossed the football he held into the air. "Same place. At least 'til college starts."

Ichigo threw him a swift glance before nodding and chewing thoughtfully on his bottom lip. "How's Retsu-san?" he asked quietly.

Grimmjow smiled broadly at the thought of his mother. She had nearly attacked him in the airport, gushing proudly about his height and all that he'd accomplished in America. It had taken them over a half hour just to get his luggage.

Grimmjow adjusted the strap of his backpack that was haphazardly slung over his right shoulder before speaking. "She's good. Still thinks I'm a little kid, though."

Ichigo snorted a laugh, but his eyes seemed to light wistfully. "That's cool."

"Oi, how's yer mom?" Grimmjow returned, wondering about the woman that had been a second mother to him whenever he had visited Ichigo's place.

Ichigo abruptly stiffened, his face tensing and jaw clenching. Grimmjow frowned, hoping he hadn't said or done anything wrong. Then again, all he'd done was ask about the boy's mother; unless a rift had been created between Ichigo and his mom, there shouldn't have been any harm in what he'd asked.

When it grew blatantly apparent that Ichigo had no intention of answering, Grimmjow stopped walking, clutching his football to his side. Ichigo came to a stop as well and slowly turned to look at him, angelic face drawn with unmistakable sadness.

"She's dead, Grimm," he said quietly. "She died a year after you left."

All Grimmjow could do was stare as his eyes widened in stunned disbelief. _M-Masaki-san was dead?_ _That beautiful, apricot-haired woman_... _was dead? But_... _how? Why?_ The news hit him like a fatal blow, making him sway in place as his mouth opened and closed helplessly.

He wanted to ask how such a tragedy had occurred, but the look on Ichigo's face stayed his tongue. Ichigo pressed his lips together and turned away, shoving his hands into his pants pockets as he started back down the street towards his home. Grimmjow shook himself free from his grief-stricken stupor and slowly followed his best friend.

 _He hadn't been there_.

 _When Ichigo had needed him the most, he hadn't even been there_.

His steps were sluggish and dread coated his heart as he watched the stiff back of his friend. Grimmjow didn't even know how Ichigo had managed to survive and go on after a loss such as that. He knew, had it been him, he probably would have lost all desire to do anything.

Grimacing, he tightened his grip on his football, his chest constricting at the thought of a young Ichigo mourning his mother.

 _Fuck_.

 _It hurt_.

 _And she wasn't even his real mom_.

 _It didn't matter, though_.

Masaki-san had been just as much his mom as his biological mother. Whenever he went to visit or spend the night with Ichigo, she treated him like he was her own, just like she did with Ichigo and his little sisters. She would even send Ichigo to his home with food, knowing that Grimmjow and his mother were going through rough times.

As much as he hurt, he couldn't imagine how his orange-haired best friend must have felt. _Must still feel_. Grimmjow swallowed his pain and briskly strode up to Ichigo. He dropped the football to the ground, where it bounced twice before settling beside someone's front gate. He reached out and gripped Ichigo's slim shoulder, turned him and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

 _He may not have been there when Ichigo had needed him, but he was here now_.

Ichigo's entire body sagged as it pressed closer to him and Ichigo buried his face in Grimmjow's chest, his hands coming up to grip the sides of his school shirt. "I'm here now," Grimmjow murmured as he gently squeezed the shorter boy.

Ichigo sighed, but Grimmjow didn't notice any evidence of tears, which was perfectly fine. _He didn't know if he would be able to handle something of that magnitude_ ; _he was sure he would be ready to break cement barehanded, if only to find a way to comfort his best friend_.

"I'm OK, Grimm. It's not as bad as it used to be," Ichigo said, his deep, husky voice muffled by Grimmjow's starch-pressed, white, school shirt.

Grimmjow nodded. "Yeah, I know I'm a few years late, but I still don' wanna see ya sad. Er upset. Er hurt..." his voice trailed off as he realized he may have started to sound a bit ridiculous.

Miraculously, Ichigo just peered up at him through bright orange bangs and grinned. "You sound like my boyfriend."

Grimmjow froze, a scowl gradually wrinkling the space between his brows. "Ya got a boyfriend?" he asked softly, not wanting to betray the sudden flare of jealousy that blossomed in his gut.

Ichigo blushed furiously as he stepped out of the warm hug. He rubbed the tip of his straight nose, the bridge wrinkling as his face was quickly consumed with crimson. "Well, it ain't official or anything like that, but we do...we do, uh...ya know...hang out from time to time."

Out of nowhere, anger gripped Grimmjow and made him growl, "So, in other words, yer fuck buddies," he stated.

Ichigo flushed a bit more and shot him a curious, but brief glance. "Something like that."

Grimmjow clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth as he went and retrieved his discarded football. Once it was in his hands, he proceeded to toss it into the air, catching it and repeating the process. The silence between them was taut with tension. Grimmjow didn't even know why he was so upset at hearing that Ichigo had someone he fucked on a regular basis.

 _They were best friends, so none of that other shit mattered_.

 _As long as the guy respected Ichigo and treated him well, then everything was fine and dandy_.

Ichigo cleared his throat, covering his mouth with the back of a hand. "Th-that's not what I meant, you know," he hesitantly stated.

Grimmjow spared him a look before going back to his football. "Yer either fuckin' 'im, er ya ain't. Ain' rocket science, Ichigo."

"Asshole," Ichigo spat, turning to glare at him. "I _meant_ , you sounded like a concerned boyfriend, not like _my_ boyfriend. I don' have a boyfriend."

Grimmjow paused his steps and glared right back at his best friend. "Ya jus' said-"

"Yeah! I said, we hang out and fuck from time to time. I never said the guy was my boyfriend! What the fuck, Grimm. Ya got wax in your ears?"

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed as he prepared a come-back, but before he could get a word in edge-wise, a deep voice interrupted them. Grimmjow glanced over his shoulder and took note of a handsome, raven-haired male striding towards them, a deep frown marring his features.

"Ichigo, didn't ya hear me callin' you?" the guy asked as soon as he was within speaking distance. "I called ya like five times," he continued, coal-colored eyes glued to Grimmjow.

Ichigo again blushed, raising Grimmjow's suspicions. "Nah, sorry, Shuuhei. I didn't hear you," Ichigo answered.

"Figures. I didn't know ya knew the new kid," Shuuhei muttered, tone sullen.

Grimmjow scowled as he returned the dark-haired boy's stare. "Yeah, I didn't really know, either. Not 'til practice, anyway," Ichigo said.

Shuuhei shot him a quick glance before going back to glaring at Grimmjow. _The boy was really pissing him the fuck off with those threatening looks_. "Fuck ya starin' at?" Grimmjow snapped, taking a menacing step towards Shuuhei.

Shuuhei arched a dark brow. "Ya know, they have anger management for people like you," he snapped back before turning to Ichigo and essentially dismissing Grimmjow. "Ichigo, why'd ya leave practice like that? I thought ya wanted me to come over tonight?"

 _Shuuhei may as well have spit in his fucking face_.

Grimmjow opened his mouth to give the little shit a sound tongue lashing, but was interrupted by Ichigo. "Shuu, don't talk to Grimm like that," he said firmly, slight frown creasing his brows.

Shuuhei's brows flew to his hairline as he considered Ichigo. Grimmjow, on the other hand, smirked smugly and rocked back on his heels as he watched the exchange.

"Grimm?" Shuuhei blurted incredulously.

Grimmjow hedged at the sound of the nickname Ichigo had given him coming from some strange and hostile teen's mouth. "Grimm-jow," he clarified with a snarl.

"What-ever," Shuuhei replied.

Grimmjow's nose wrinkled as he moved closer to the shorter, dark-haired boy, but fortunately for Shuuhei, Ichigo pressed a hand to his chest. The following glare coming from his best friend confused him, though.

"Why are you two acting like I'm a bone and you're nothing but canines?" Ichigo asked.

Shuuhei scratched the back of his head in obvious shame, while Grimmjow merely gave Ichigo a blank stare. If he was honest with himself, he was angry because he didn't like the thought of sharing his best friend with some guy he didn't even know. Grimmjow hadn't been around to evaluate Shuuhei, let alone give his blessing, which Ichigo certainly required.

 _He wasn't about to let anyone hurt Ichigo_.

"Well?" Ichigo snapped into the silence.

Grimmjow shrugged and glared at Shuuhei, already tired of the teen's presence. Shuuhei glared right back and stuffed his hands into the pockets of a pair of white, tennis shorts, silently declaring a stalemate.

Ichigo glanced back and forth between them, bronze eyes glittering angrily. Finally, he huffed and threw both hands into the air dramatically. "Fuck it. I'm going home. Idiots," he grumbled before sauntering away.

Grimmjow gave Shuuhei another cold stare before taking off after Ichigo, left eyebrow twitching when he heard the other teen following as well. The walk to Ichigo's house was riddled with an awkward silence and thick tension, the only sounds coming from Ichigo whenever he sighed exasperatedly. Grimmjow wanted to rip Shuuhei limb from limb for making the bold move of fitting his arm across Ichigo's shoulders. Ichigo didn't seem to notice or even care, but it set Grimmjow on fire. He didn't even understand why the burning inside him was so intense, why seeing Ichigo laughing and interacting with Shuuhei made him want to commit a grisly homicide.

Grimmjow sneered at the sight of Shuuhei glancing over Ichigo's head at him, wearing a shit-eating grin. _If punching this asshole's face in wouldn't result in Ichigo being pissed with him, he would have done it ages ago_.

XOXOXO

Ichigo couldn't believe his predicament. For one, he had completely forgotten he'd told Shuuhei to come by that evening and two, he certainly hadn't expected Shuuhei and Grimmjow to dislike each other on sight. Ichigo peered back and forth at the two teens, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

He happened to catch Grimmjow giving Shuuhei ominous glares, while Shuuhei merely grinned like the cat that ate the canary and the cream. Ichigo hated it. Shuuhei wasn't his boyfriend, but he did deal regularly with him sexually and the guy was pretty cool, once you dug beneath all of his layers of weirdness. He had hoped introducing him to Grimmjow would have gone more smoothly, but he'd obviously been wrong.

Ichigo didn't know what the hell was wrong with his best friend. He was completely clueless as to why Grimmjow had gone all bodyguard 101 on Shuuhei, especially since Grimmjow had made it perfectly clear that he strictly considered Ichigo as his best friend. _No more, no less_.

_So, why now was the blue-haired teen behaving like someone was threatening his livelihood?_

Ichigo shook his head as their small group approached his home. He didn't know what to do to defuse the suddenly combustible atmosphere, but he was well beyond exasperated with the both of them. He trudged up to the stoop and turned back to the two boys watching him. Grimmjow – _in all his gorgeous glory_ – leaned against the stone partition separating the sidewalk from Ichigo's front lawn, a frown tugging at his brows and mouth and his head down. Shuuhei was right behind Ichigo as if afraid he would be left behind.

Ichigo didn't want to make the inevitable decision, but realized that since Shuuhei and Grimmjow were like Democrats and Republicans packed into a tiny room, he would definitely have to. Sighing in frustration, he glanced over at Grimmjow, who lifted his head at the sound, face resigned. Before Ichigo could even form the words in his mind, Grimmjow gracefully shoved away from the stone wall. "Look, I'll jus' see ya tamorrow er somethin'," he mumbled, eyes glittering like lanterns as they briefly settled on Shuuhei before pinning to Ichigo again.

Ichigo was crushed. He was actually going to ask Shuuhei to come back another day because he really wanted to spend more time with his newly returned best friend, but that had been dashed the minute Grimmjow had opened his lovely mouth.

Forcing his disappointment to the pit of his stomach, Ichigo nodded and lowered his gaze. He wondered how Grimmjow was feeling. _Did the blue-haired Goliath think that Ichigo preferred having sex with Shuuhei over catching up with him?_ Ichigo glanced up in time to see Grimmjow stepping away from the wall.

"Grimm, wait!" he called.

Grimmjow paused and looked over his shoulder as Ichigo rushed towards him, his heart beating a mile a minute. He stopped in front of the much taller boy and stared up into his endless, glowing blue eyes. He didn't want Grimmjow to leave; he wanted to laugh and talk more, tell his best friend everything he hadn't had a chance to since he'd left. He even wanted to tell him about the lust he'd been feeling towards him since first laying eyes on him. Ichigo's mouth opened and closed a few times before Grimmjow arched a brow and smirked in amusement.

"What's up, Ichigo?" he asked quietly, deep voice rumbling like distant thunder.

 _Then, reality struck_.

 _Grimmjow was off limits_.

"I-I, I need your number," he said clumsily.

Grimmjow gave him a genuine smile and reached into the pocket of his school pants, retrieving a white cell phone. Ichigo hurriedly did the same, pulling his gray cell phone free from his backpack. They exchanged numbers and Grimmjow tucked his cell away, then gently ruffled Ichigo's hair. "See ya tamorrow, Ichigo."

Ichigo nodded and headed back up to his front door, stomach descending to his knees. It felt like he and Grimmjow had just said good-bye, or like he and the blue-haired boy had put to rest a certain aspect of their friendship. Whatever it was, Ichigo knew things would never be the way they had once been.

 _They were older and too much had changed_.

 _It would take a lot of adjusting_.

Ichigo absently withdrew his house key from the depths of his bag and opened the front door, Shuuhei wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they entered, not realizing that Grimmjow was still watching.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Grimmjow ducked his head as he left the bathroom. Before he'd left for America, the bathroom of his childhood home had seemed much bigger, but now it felt tiny, almost cramped. He'd had to watch his head in the small shower stall numerous times, however, he wouldn't turn back time for anything. He enjoyed his new height and mass.

He gripped the edge of the gray terrycloth towel wrapped around his waist as he made his way to his old bedroom. It had still looked exactly as he'd left it until he'd changed a few things around and added what he deemed his necessary effects. As soon as he stepped into the small, hunter green room, his mother appeared behind him in the doorway. She wore her dark hair back in a long single braid and a gauzy white house dress flattered her slender frame.

"How was school, honey?" she asked.

"It was cool. Had practice. Oh, I saw Ichigo," he offered, tone indifferent when his emotional state was anything but.

His mother's face lit up, her eyes sparkling happily. "Really? How did that go? I know you've been wanting to catch up with him."

"Did ya know his mom passed?"

Retsu's eyes lowered and studied the floor as the light that had been shining just a second ago dimmed. "I knew."

"Why didn' cha tell me?" Grimmjow growled, confused. His mother had never kept secrets before.

"I didn't want to upset you. There was nothing you could have done from America and I just wanted you to focus on your studies so you could hurry back," she placated, her dainty hands waving in a calming gesture.

Grimmjow knew she was right, but it didn't lessen the sting of guilt that attacked his chest. He felt terrible knowing that he hadn't been there for Ichigo when Ichigo had obviously needed him. What kind of best friend was he? Speaking of which, his thoughts landed on his walk home with the orange-haired teen. It was clear that they had both done some growing and changing and the distance it created between them bothered Grimmjow. He had planned for things to fall back into place and return to how they used to be, back when he and Ichigo had been inseparable and causing jealousy and envy towards their friendship everywhere they had gone.

Ichigo was gay, but that didn't bother Grimmjow at all. What rankled him and seared his feathers was that Shuuhei guy taking _his_ place. Not sexually, but companionship-wise. And it didn't help matters that the teen was an asshole. Grimmjow had immediately disliked him and not just because he had replaced him. It was obvious from the way Shuuhei had gloated over Ichigo's choosing him to spend time with that Shuuhei would go out of his way to interfere anytime he saw Grimmjow and Ichigo together, which was unacceptable. Grimmjow wouldn't stand for it.

Ichigo was _his_ best friend.

Grimmjow sat down on the edge of his bed, his mother's hesitant movements catching his attention. "What's wrong, Ma?"

"I hope you're not upset with me, Grimmjow. I really did have your best interests at heart."

Grimmjow sighed and ran a large hand through his damp, tousled blue hair. He hadn't meant to make his mother feel bad. "S'cool, I ain't mad at ya. Ya did what ya thought was right an' I can't fault ya for that."

"Good. I'm glad." There was a small, awkward silence before she continued. "So...you never told me how things went with the two of you? Does he still want to be friends?"

Grimmjow rubbed his chin in thought. It was true that Ichigo seemed to still want to be friends, but Grimmjow couldn't pinpoint whether or not the boy wanted the same thing _he_ did: their old closeness back. Deciding that his mother didn't need to know about his uncertainty, he gave her a crooked smile reminiscent of his youth. "Yeah. We exchanged cell numbers, so everything's cool."

"Good. Well, I'm making your favorite for dinner tonight."

Tempura. He hadn't had that since before he'd gone to America. "Thanks, Ma," he said warmly.

She nodded and drifted from his room, considerately closing the door behind her. Grimmjow stood and ambled over to his dresser, digging through the top drawer for a clean pair of boxers and a white tee. Once he had the items in hand, he slipped into them and flopped onto his bed, long legs hanging drastically over the edge. Every time he laid in his bed he remembered being younger and having much more space than he'd needed on the full-sized mattress. The memories made him smile; he could think back on them fondly now.

He reached a long arm over to his nightstand and grabbed the remote for his TV from it. He powered it on and surfed through the channels in search of something interesting, but found nothing except strange game shows and dramatic soap operas. Sucking his teeth in disgust, he left it on a sappy but tragic daytime movie. A woman had just delivered a baby, but the nurse gave her the news that the father of the child had been killed in an accident only moments before. Grimmjow sighed. The movie was completely depressing so he shut his eyes to the sobbing woman and prepared for a quick nap before dinner.

He could already taste the Tempura.

XOXOXO

"Y-yes! Harder!"

"Fuck, Ichigo, I'm gonna come!"

"No! Nngh - n-not yet! Almos' there!"

"Shit!"

Ichigo sped his pace, his back bowing and neck straining as he tossed his head back. Shuuhei lay underneath him, hands on his hips and dark eyes screwed shut as Ichigo vigorously rode him. The familiar blanket of pleasure smothered him when Shuuhei wrapped a hand around his erection and stroked it determinedly. Ichigo's thighs trembled and jerked as he simultaneously tried to ride Shuuhei and thrust into Shuuhei's stroking hand. His mouth was dried out and his heart galloped like a chased horse, but the pressure in his groin increased and intensified as his orgasm thundered towards him.

Shuuhei's hand was calloused from handling a tennis racquet on a daily basis, but it made the dark-haired teen's fluid stroking that much better. Ichigo's teeth ground together and his fingers dug into Shuuhei's shoulders, making Shuuhei hiss and perform an erratic humping motion that Ichigo planned to tease him about later. Right now, his focus was solely on the semen pumping from his pulsing erection. It splayed across Shuuhei's lower abdomen almost lazily, glistening in the dimmed light of the sunset streaking through the window.

Ichigo gasped, trying to slow his breathing and calm his heart rate, while Shuuhei gave a muted cry behind his hand. They both didn't want to be discovered by Ichigo's old man or even his little sisters, although Ichigo suspected Karin knew. She had always been more aware than she'd let on. Ichigo lowered himself over Shuuhei's toned chest and kissed his bottom lip.

"I think you're getting better at this," the raven-haired boy said, breath still coming in deep gulps.

Ichigo appreciated the fact that he'd managed to leave Shuuhei breathless, especially when it had always been the other way around with Shuuhei being a playful tease, merciless in the way he drove Ichigo over the precipice of pleasure time and time again. He felt it was high time that Shuuhei had a taste of his own medicine.

"I _know_ I'm getting better, jerk," he replied, but the statement held more teasing than heat.

Shuuhei cupped the back of his neck and kissed his nose before lowering his lips to Ichigo's mouth. "I'm just playin'. I know you are."

His voice had been soft and laced with things Ichigo wasn't quite ready for. Shuuhei knew that; hell, he'd agreed to their arrangement. Ichigo just didn't understand why Shuuhei was beginning to show signs of deviating from that course. It would only cause unnecessary pain and drama and Ichigo rather liked things as they stood. Sex and friendship, but no strings attached. If Shuuhei caught extra feelings, things would get complicated and pretty ugly. Especially now with Grimmjow back in the picture.

His heart did a strange little jig, like a kid needing to use the bathroom. For years he'd been unsure if he'd ever see his best friend again. And for years after that, he'd thought him dead, or that Grimmjow had just forgotten about him. Then like a rushing waterfall, Grimmjow had charged back into his life. Ichigo rolled over, the movement causing Shuuhei to slide out of him. He lay on his side, his back facing the dark-haired teen as he tried to disguise the shiver that ran through him.

Shuuhei pulled the blanket over their bodies and put an arm around Ichigo's waist as he rested his chin on a slim shoulder. "Cold?"

He nodded. What else was he supposed to say? He couldn't very well tell Shuuhei that he'd shivered because just the thought of his best friend made chills race down his back. There would be pandemonium and more than a little animosity. But it was true. Ever since earlier, Ichigo had had a hard time not thinking of Grimmjow: how much he'd missed him, how much the blue-haired boy had _changed_ , how much their friendship had changed. Everything. Overwhelming didn't quite handle the job of describing how Grimmjow's return had affected him.

Shuuhei nuzzled Ichigo's neck and sighed, then huffed when a soft trilling from somewhere on the floor sounded. He rolled over, the abrupt absence of his warm body serving as a nice wake up call for Ichigo. There was some shifting and rustling before Shuuhei's deep voice cut through the silence.

"Hello?" Ichigo couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the phone call, but knew that whoever it was, they had persuaded Shuuhei to gather his clothes and start slipping into them. "Alright. Yeah, that's fine. I'll be there in a half."

Ichigo squeezed his eyes shut, hoping he could feign sleep, but a tickling poke to his ribs killed that plan. "What?"

"I gotta go to work. They need someone to close since that idiot Kensei called out. Text me later?" Shuuhei asked as he fixed his shorts.

Ichigo nodded before burying himself under his blanket. Shuuhei leaned over the side of the bed and tenderly kissed Ichigo's cheek, making him hide a grimace. He waited for the other teen to grab his bag and leave the room before lowering the blanket and glancing around. This thing with Shuuhei was getting too deep. It was clear that the boy wanted more than Ichigo was willing to give at the moment and it made Ichigo uncomfortable. His skin crawled, even as his groin pulsed, residual satisfaction making his entire body throb. He didn't want to hurt Shuuhei's feelings, but if things kept along this vein with the raven-haired teen's emotions being worn on his sleeve, then he would have to play the bad guy and call off their arrangement. He didn't want to because he really did like the guy, but...he just wasn't ready for that type of commitment, nor did he think he ever would be.

Ichigo dug under his pillow and rooted out the remote for the new addition to his bedroom: a new thirty-seven inch TV. It was mounted on the wall, connected to his DVD player and XBOX 360. It had been a gift from the old goat for his last birthday and he cherished it like it was an ancient religious artifact. He had just flipped it on, the cable box flickering to life and settled down to enjoy some cartoonage when his cell went off in the depths of his night stand drawer. He'd always had a bad habit of tossing the device in there when he got home from school.

He reached an arm towards the drawer and fished the phone out of it before automatically tapping the screen to connect the call. Ichigo didn't even look at who was calling, assuming it was Shuuhei and that he'd forgotten something.

"Yeah," he mumbled, pillowing his face as he turned back to the TV.

"What're ya doin'?"

Ichigo's mouth went completely dry and his heart drummed against his ribs as he sat up in shock. "U-um. Nothin'. What're you doin'?"

"Just ate dinner. Hey, can I come over?"

Ichigo jumped off his bed, eyes wild as he looked around his room, adrenaline pumping like a shotgun. He would have to change his bed linen, but he really wanted to see his best friend.

"Or is yer boyfriend still there?" Grimmjow continued.

"Shut up. He's not my boyfriend. Uh, yeah, you can come by. It's kinda late, though..."

"I used to sleep over all the time. I'll bring my school and practice uniforms so I can just dress there and we can go ta school tagether. That a problem?"

Ichigo grinned like a fool as he practically pranced to his closet. He grabbed a spare set of bed sheets and a fresh blanket, tucking his phone against his shoulder before skipping back to his bed to strip the soiled linen. "No, it's not a problem, stupid. Just come over."

Grimmjow's deep voice - Ichigo was still getting used to that - rumbled over the line in a soft chuckle. "Whatever, punk. I'm on my way."

The call ended, leaving Ichigo wearing a shamelessly goofy smile. His whole body was jittery with excitement as he snatched the dirty sheets and blanket from his bed. He couldn't wait to see Grimmjow again. He'd thought after the way they'd parted earlier that Grimmjow would keep his distance. Ichigo should've known better than to doubt him.

After he replaced the bed linen, he started to flop back onto it, but snorted when he realized he was still naked and smelling like sex and Shuuhei. _That wouldn't do_. Ichigo grabbed a towel from his closet, wrapped it around his waist, then nearly ran to the bathroom in his haste to hop in the shower. As he was leaving his room, he ran right into Yuzu, almost knocking her down and causing her eyes to widen in shock.

"O-onii-chan, is something wrong?" she asked, straightening her pajama top.

Ichigo checked her over to make sure he hadn't hurt her, then shook his head. "No, I just have to use the bathroom. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she chirped. "Good night!"

Ichigo watched as Yuzu hurried off to her room, the air surrounding her buzzing with nervous energy. If he wasn't so anxious about seeing Grimmjow, he would have stopped to invesstigate. When Yuzu was all ruffled like that, then it meant she was either hiding something or afraid of something. Ichigo shook his head again and rushed into the bathroom, his heart literally hurting his chest it was beating so hard and fast. He turned the knob for the shower, uncaring of whether the water had had time to warm up enough as he stepped under the spray.

The water stung his skin as it fell and swirled down the drain. As it turned out, he'd turned the knob all the way to the left, causing the water to reach a scalding temperature. He adjusted the knob, then stuck his head under the nozzle, his hand automatically going for the bottle of shampoo closest to him. He poured a generous amount into his palm and rubbed the slick substance into his dampened hair. When the scent of the shampoo hit him, he grimaced and gritted his teeth.

 _Dammit, Yuzu_.

He had been in such a rush, he'd forgotten that Yuzu tended to buy the girliest shampoo in existence. This time the pink bottle advertised Cherry Blossom and Jasmine Escape. _Oh, well_. His hair would reek of female, but at least it'd be clean. Ichigo hurried through washing and conditioning his hair, then running a layer of body wash over his skin. By the time he left the shower, the mirror over the sink was completely fogged and his fingers had begun to prune. The hot water had been so relaxing, turning his bones to melted butter, that he'd forgotten about Grimmjow...until he heard the doorbell.

Dashing like a man aflame, Ichigo sprinted back to his bedroom, dried and threw himself into a pair of Domo pajama bottoms and a snug white tee. He almost broke his neck flying down the stairs, trying to get to the door before his old man or little sisters. He wanted to be the first one Grimmjow saw because he was selfish like that. He'd missed his best friend and now that the boy was back, he meant to spend as much time with him as possible.

He paused at the bottom of the steps, smoothing a hand over the front of his tee and running a calming hand through his damp hair. Although he _was_ , he didn't want to appear too eager when he opened the door. He wasn't sure how Grimmjow felt about their friendship at the moment and Ichigo didn't want to expose just how open he was. He took a few deep breaths as he walked to the front door, then waited a beat to pull it open.

Grimmjow's presence was like an elephant in a bedroom: big and overwhelming. His friend stood on the other side of the door wearing a pair of black tear-away warm-up pants, a dangerously tight black tee and black and white athletic slippers. His hair was wind-blown and his face slightly flushed, but a wide, filthy grin stretched across his face.

"Took ya long enough. What the fuck were ya doin'? An' why ya smell like a flower?"

Grimmjow had always had an interesting voice, even when they were kids, but now...his voice did strange things to Ichigo's insides. It made him feel light-headed and hot, like he was coming down with a fever. He knew he'd felt lust when he'd first seen Grimmjow - what gay or bisexual boy wouldn't? - but afterward, it had settled into admiration of how much the boy had changed. The way Grimmjow's voice affected him made him nervous.

"I was in the shower. It is that time, you know," Ichigo responded, face on fire as he stepped back from the door so Grimmjow could come inside.

Grimmjow had to duck his head as he stepped over the threshold and Ichigo couldn't pull his eyes away. His friend was so damned _tall_ and... _big_. He wasn't obscenely big, like body builders, but he was incredibly ripped. It was astonishing remembering the angry, blue-haired runt from middle school and then comparing him to the magnificent creature standing in his living room. Ichigo swallowed as he craned his neck to meet Grimmjow's eyes. They were blazing blue and dancing like crystals as he stared warmly back at Ichigo. Grimmjow hiked the duffel bag he carried higher on his shoulder and shifted his weight to his left side.

"What?" he grunted.

Ichigo jerked like he'd been pulled. "What?"

Grimmjow arched a brow and smirked, then ran a large hand through Ichigo's still wet hair. "Wake up, chibi."

"Oi, I ain't a fuckin' chibi!" Ichigo snapped, a small frown appearing between his brows. "Just because _you're_ super-sized now, it doesn't make _me_ a chibi. Asshole."

"Bitch-face."

Ichigo paused, realization dawning on him as he stared at Grimmjow. With a sly smirk, he retorted, "Cunt-licker."

Grimmjow took a step closer, his voice deepening. "Dickhead."

Ichigo grinned. He'd always had a hard time with "E", but that was then...this? This was now. "Easy bitch."

Grimmjow threw his head back and gave a deep, booming laugh. His shoulders shook and those always intriguing eyes crinkled in the corners and Ichigo had to look away to keep from edging closer to the boy. His stomach was hot again and it felt like something was crawling up the back of his throat. It was just because his best friend was attractive. That had to be the reason he kept losing focus and when he didn't, he focused on all the wrong things.

"I guess ya won that time. Don' get used to it, though, chibi."

"Stop calling me that."

"Nah, I think I like that name fer ya," Grimmjow rumbled as he started for the stairs.

Ichigo followed in a wondrous daze. He really didn't understand why his heart wouldn't slow down and why his throat felt so tight, like he was on the verge of tears or something. They trooped to his room without incident; Ichigo figured his old man was still in the clinic and Yuzu and Karin locked away in their rooms. When they stepped into his room, Ichigo closed the door and Grimmjow dropped his bag by the closet. The TV was still on, so Ichigo plopped onto his bed and prepared to immerse himself in the world of One Piece. He was stretched out on his stomach, when a warm, heavy weight settled across his legs.

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder with wide eyes. Grimmjow was draped over his legs, chin in his hands and elbows next to Ichigo's thigh. His left bicep was scarily close to Ichigo's ass and it made Ichigo's breath catch. He was enjoying Grimmjow's closeness way too much. Grimmjow seemed to be completely oblivious to how his actions were affecting him, so Ichigo turned back to the TV and raised the volume.

He tried to concentrate on his favorite anime, he really did, but it was so _hard_. He was hyper-aware of every movement Grimmjow made, every breath Grimmjow took that made his chest and stomach shift against Ichigo's thighs, everytime the bigger teen laughed at something the characters did: _everything_. It was unnerving. He was in the middle of justifying his behavior when Grimmjow rolled over, tucked his arms around Ichigo's thighs and laid his head on Ichigo's butt. Not even a minute later, Grimmjow was snoring softly, his breaths even and deep.

Ichigo swallowed the lump rising in his throat. Grimmjow used to do that when they were younger, playfully exclaiming that Ichigo's butt made a nice pillow. Ichigo had been too young to realize that Grimmjow hated sleeping alone. He'd been too young to understand why Grimmjow always cuddled and clung to Ichigo whenever he'd slept over. He wasn't too young now. Grimmjow didn't have any siblings and it was only him and his mom living together. He hadn't had any friends before Ichigo had come along and it only made sense that he would try to hold on to him and remain as close as possible. Literally.

The first time Grimmjow had slept over, Ichigo's mom had fixed a futon on the floor for him, but when the time had come for them to go to sleep, things hadn't quite worked out that way. Ichigo had been in his own bed for no more than five minutes when he noticed Grimmjow tossing and turning on the futon. The rustling noises had kept him awake, so he'd turned to face where his friend lay on the floor and asked him why he was moving so much. Grimmjow's body had seemed to freeze like a deer caught in headlights before he had softly told Ichigo that he couldn't sleep. When Ichigo had asked why not, Grimmjow had told him he didn't like sleeping alone. So Ichigo had made the logical decision to offer Grimmjow the spot beside him in his bed.

Grimmjow had flown into Ichigo's bed and beneath the covers, where he'd settled himself as close to Ichigo as possible and had gone on to tell him that he sometimes slept in his mother's bed. He didn't always do it, even though he hated sleeping alone, but he didn't want his mom to worry or think he was a baby. The next morning, Ichigo had awakened on his stomach with Grimmjow hugging his thighs as his head lay pillowed on Ichigo's bottom. That had eventually become a ritual that Ichigo had begun to look forward to. He loved being close to Grimmjow and having Grimmjow depend on him for comfort. This moment made him nostalgic and gave Ichigo hope that he and his best friend actually stood a chance of things returning to how they used to be.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo jumped drastically at the sound of Grimmjow's voice, not to mention the vibrations that seeped into the muscles of his rear and made his groin twitch. "Y-yeah?"

"Fart in my face an' I'll kill ya," Grimmjow mumbled before going quiet again.

Ichigo was startled into laughter.

His best friend was home.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Ichigo slowly rose from the abyss of a deep sleep, his eyes creeping half-way open even though the lids seemed heavy as iron weights. The first thing he noticed was the massive pressure covering his entire body; the next was the bright blue hair softly caressing his left cheek. Startled, his eyes shot open completely. When he had time to calm down, he remembered that Grimmjow had dropped by to stay the night with him like old times. Then his face slowly flushed as he realized the position he and Grimmjow were entangled in. Ichigo had somehow ended up on his back during the night and Grimmjow was draped across him like an over-sized blanket. His thick left arm was wrapped around Ichigo's upper torso, his extremely muscular left leg thrown across Ichigo's thighs. He still wore those warm-up pants, but his t-shirt had been discarded. Grimmjow's face was pressed so closely to Ichigo's that they were cheek-to-cheek, exchanging oxygen.

Ichigo scrunched his nose, but a chuckle crept free. He was pinned to the bed by Grimmjow's massive body weight, but he couldn't say that he was entirely uncomfortable, even with Grimmjow's deadly morning breath. Then Ichigo gulped as something else registered in his still slowly wakening mind. Grimmjow was aligned to his side like velcro, his morning wood digging urgently into Ichigo's hip.

"Oh my god," Ichigo whispered, eyes locked on the ceiling.

He was frozen in place, too afraid to breathe, let alone move. Grimmjow certainly wasn't lacking in that area, either, and best friend or not, it turned Ichigo on like an ecstasy pill. Then Grimmjow shifted, his arm sliding down Ichigo's chest to settle on Ichigo's hip. The movement scorched like lava and Ichigo had to fight to suppress a low moan and a shameful back arch. He didn't need Grimmjow waking up to see him writhing in lust. He wasn't sure their friendship would be able to survive that.

Grimmjow gave a soft groan in his sleep, his hip languidly rotating and pressing that ridiculous erection even closer.

Ichigo gasped as he felt himself harden. _No, no, no! I can't do this!_ he thought frantically. He pushed against Grimmjow's arm, body in flight mode and mind shrieking in alarm. His blood was rocketing through his body like a subway train, making his heart pound ruthlessly. He had to get out of the bed before he laid hands to his own best friend. And he didn't mean in a hostile way, either.

Grimmjow sighed, his head falling into the crook of Ichigo's neck. With Grimmjow's face out of the way, the taller boy's scent washed over Ichigo like a high tide. It was a mixture of soap, clean clothes and warm skin, and it made Ichigo feel like he'd just inhaled helium.

"Shit, shit, shit," he mumbled as he used his free hand to cover the stiffness in his pajama pants.

He tried to sit up, but the hand Grimmjow had on his hip turned into a claw and tightened. Ichigo lay back against his pillow, then inhaled and exhaled very slowly. He had to be calm or else his panic would be obvious if Grimmjow happened to wake up. Ichigo glanced at the clock on his night stand, hiccupping with relief when he saw it was two minutes before the alarm was set to go off. All he had to do was endure two more minutes of having his excruciatingly gorgeous best friend all over him...including said best friend's heavy erection.

Ichigo grimaced, sweat forming across his brow and above his top lip. His mind was flung into the gutter with all the force of a wrecking ball. Grimmjow was breathing against his neck, stirring the fine hairs located there and it was all Ichigo could do _not_ to twitch with need. He was so aroused, he was _trembling_. It had never been like this before when Grimmjow had shared his bed. Granted they had been kids, but Ichigo had always been fascinated by Grimmjow's exotic looks. Why hadn't he reacted like this back then? Teenage hormones? Puberty hadn't hit yet? _What?_

A sudden desire to stick his hand into Grimmjow's warm-up pants reared up like a swaying cobra and made Ichigo grit his teeth. It was so shameful, but Grimmjow's rock-hard and hot dick was distracting the shit out of him. Ichigo lifted his free hand and made a fist, just so he could sink his teeth into _something_ , goddammit, but that only opened him up for disaster. Grimmjow's thigh slid upwards and covered Ichigo's own throbbing issue in his pants.

"Nooooo," he groaned around his fist.

This was just _not_ happening.

Ichigo shifted once, his breath stalling in his chest as the movement further announced the presence of Grimmjow's brick-like equipment against his hip. He couldn't help himself, though, so he shifted again and this time the gentle friction erupted in another place. Grimmjow's thigh rubbed over Ichigo's length and it nearly undid him in his excited state. The combination of Grimmjow's leg _and_ hard-on made Ichigo moan. There was _no_ way he could have hidden it.

Grimmjow grunted and gave a low, brief growl in his sleep and Ichigo almost tossed caution out the window. He _almost_ turned towards Grimmjow and kissed him awake. He _almost_ shoved his hand down Grimmjow's pants and grasped the blue-haired boy's dick _enthusiastically_. But he resisted.

Barely.

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

Grimmjow jumped and lifted his head from Ichigo's neck, glancing around in confusion, while Ichigo kept his gaze on the ceiling, refusing to breathe. He knew he probably resembled a tomato, more than likely broadcasting his arousal and panic, but he didn't care. He was too busy having a hard time not exhaling deeply in relief.

Grimmjow reached a long arm over Ichigo and smacked the alarm clock silent. He rolled back into place beside Ichigo and yawned loudly, his long body stretching like a huge feline. Then he turned his head and looked at Ichigo. Ichigo didn't move, his face probably purple by now from lack of air and equal amounts of lust and embarrassment.

"Mornin'," Grimmjow rumbled quietly, his voice made even more sinful by the thickness of sleep.

Ichigo's entire body shuddered. He was still painfully erect, his heart slamming itself against his ribs and blood roaring noisily in his ears. His temples were throbbing and he was sure he was about to hyperventilate.

"M-morning," he stuttered, his own voice hoarse and weak.

Ichigo could see Grimmjow's frown from the corner of his eye. "Ichigo, you don' look too good. Ev'rythin' alright?"

Ichigo nodded stiffly, his hand creeping down to his lap so he could discretely disguise the problem in his pants. "Gotta pee," he gasped and leaped from the bed like the sheets were on fire.

He flat-out ran to the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Trembling like a tuning fork, he pressed his back against the door. Ichigo covered his eyes with an unsteady hand and stared at the floor in disbelief. Grimmjow was his best friend. They were like brothers. That was _it_. So, why was his body reacting so strongly around the bigger teen? Why had lust so powerful it was almost crippling, overwhelmed him and made him feel frighteningly helpless?

Christ, what the fuck was _wrong_ with him?

XOXOXO

Grimmjow frowned as he sat up in Ichigo's bed. After inviting himself over the night before, things had seemed to click right back into place. Ichigo _had_ appeared a little nervous and edgy at first, but then the boy Grimmjow remembered from his childhood had shown up, relaxing the atmosphere. Grimmjow had gone to sleep in his usual position, using Ichigo's ridiculously comfortable butt as a pillow. A quick reminder of the "no farting" rule to his best friend and sleep had claimed him much easier than it had at home.

He hated sleeping alone, even to this day, but he'd be damned before he crawled into bed with his mom again. He was too grown for that shit, but he wasn't too grown to sleep next to Ichigo. He'd always had his most peaceful nights beside the orange-haired boy. Last night had been no different. He never had nightmares and insomnia when he was lying next to Ichigo; images of his father walking out and never coming back never plagued him there. He never had to worry about constantly dreaming of his mother's tearful face in Ichigo's bed.

But this morning, something had been off.

Grimmjow remembered being awakened by Ichigo or his mother when they'd been kids. Masaki would knock softly and tell them breakfast was ready, or Ichigo would wake him by pushing him out of the bed when Ichigo was in a bad mood, _or_ strangely enough, a gentle hand through Grimmjow's hair when Ichigo was in a good mood. Grimmjow hadn't exactly expected the hand through his hair this morning, but the look of fear and panic written across the other teen's features hadn't been what he'd expected, either.

Ichigo had shot out of the bed like a human cannonball before sprinting to the bathroom, where Grimmjow had heard the door slam shut. Grimmjow wasn't stupid and he didn't believe for one second that Ichigo's behavior had had anything to do with relieving his bladder. He wouldn't press the issue, though. If Ichigo wasn't ready to tell him what had been on his mind, Grimmjow certainly wasn't going to force him.

Grimmjow sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. As soon as he climbed to his feet, his face caught fire and _burned_. He looked down, already knowing exactly what he'd find, but surprised all the same at the sheer intensity of his morning wood. It was almost like he'd been in the middle of a wet dream, but interrupted before he could achieve the "wet" aspect of it. He reached a hand down, but hesitated before he touched himself. He was afraid just brushing his dick would make him explode in his pants.

"Oh, shit," he muttered, eyes widening and heart rate picking up.

Was _that_ why Ichigo had raced from the room like a jaguar was on his heels? _Oh no_ , he thought. _Oh, for fuck's sake. What am I, twelve?_ Grimmjow rubbed a hand over his face and groaned. He'd never been so embarrassed in his life. Then he shook his head as the embarrassment subsided. Wait a minute. Ichigo had seen him naked and vice versa when they were kids. Yeah, they weren't kids anymore, but still, Ichigo shouldn't have reacted that way to something that was completely natural amongst boys.

At that moment, the bedroom door burst open, banging against the wall and making Grimmjow jump. A smile curved his lips when he saw the older man standing in the doorway, though, dark hair standing up on his head and covering his jaw with whiskery-looking stubble. A white lab coat was draped over a wrinkled blue dress shirt and black slacks, and a stethoscope hung around his neck.

"ICHI-go? You're not my darling Ichigo!"

Grimmjow gave a full-on smile. "Nah, he's in the bathroom. Ya don' remember me, Kurosaki-san?"

Isshin Kurosaki tilted his head to the side and arched a thoughtful brow as he rubbed his scruffy chin. "I _do_ remember one of Ichigo's friends having blue hair, but...he...was, uh...well, the young man I remember was, er-"

"Tiny? A runt? A tad microscopic?" Grimmjow offered helpfully.

"Well. Are you...AH! I remember the name, now! Grimmjow, right?"

Grimmjow nodded and walked over to the elder Kurosaki. "Yeah, that was me."

"Onii-chan, breakfast is - oh. Um, you're not Onii-chan," one of Ichigo's little sisters said from behind Isshin. Then she narrowed her eyes in thought before they widened. "Gimm-joy!" she squeaked.

Grimmjow chuckled. "Nah, it's Grimm-jow. Nice try, though. Ya must be Yuzu, then."

She nodded, her eyes wide as she stared. "You're so big! Onii-chan isn't even your size."

"That's 'cuz I didn't overdose on MiracleGro. Sorry," Ichigo drawled as he sauntered back into the room, a blue towel wrapped around his slim waist. "Why is everyone in front of my room?"

Isshin spoke up, his dark eyes twinkling like stars. "Papa came to give you your morning wake-up call, my beloved son! And Yuzu wants you to know breakfast is ready! Ichigo, why didn't you tell Papa you had company?"

"'Cuz they were probably havin' sex," Karin muttered as she walked past Ichigo's room and to the stairs, biting into an apple as she did so.

Yuzu gasped and covered her mouth, Isshin's eyebrows went far into his hairline and Ichigo's face went scarlet. Grimmjow just laughed. Karin had always been the more blunt and nonchalant of the twin girls, so to hear her say something like that wasn't surprising. It also wasn't very surprising that she was aware of Ichigo's activities with that Shuuhei asshole.

Grimmjow leaned his upper body out of the room as he gripped the doorframe. "Nah, that ain't me, Shorty. Yer thinkin' a'the dark-haired kid."

Karin glanced over her shoulder at him before descending the stairs. Halfway down she shrugged and spoke around a mouthful of apple. "Whatever."

Grimmjow turned back to face Ichigo and the rest of his family and immediately barked a laugh. Ichigo glared at him, his face completely red.

"That's not fucking funny, jerk!" the boy snapped.

"Ichigo, my son! Language!" Isshin interjected in dismay before Grimmjow could even open his mouth to respond.

"You, go away! I need to get dressed! Yuzu, I'll be down for breakfast in a minute, thanks."

Yuzu nodded and started down the stairs, her eyes still round with shock. Isshin looked like he wanted to protest, but Ichigo slammed the door in his face and made his way to his closet, grumbling like a lawn mower. Grimmjow couldn't stop laughing, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he bent at the waist and clutched his sides.

"Ichigo, I love yer family."

"Stop being an ass and go shower. The bathroom's free."

Ichigo still had his back facing Grimmjow, the towel still wrapped around his waist. He was rummaging through the closet, but Grimmjow could sense that he had settled down from earlier. He wanted to ask Ichigo why he had been so high-strung before he'd gone to the bathroom, but since Ichigo was being tight-lipped about it, he wouldn't. Besides, he had other things to worry about.

"Oh, _shit_ ," Grimmjow cursed.

Ichigo whipped around and faced him, eyes comically wide. "What?"

Grimmjow was too distracted to notice the look of fear and panic edging back into his best friend's eyes. How the fuck could he have forgotten something so important? Grimmjow rushed over to Ichigo, completely oblivious to the way the orange-haired male flinched and jumped. He reached around the other teen and grabbed his duffel bag from the floor, then carried it to the bed, where he casually tossed it. There was a small, zippered compartment in front where he kept the team's game schedule, so he went for it and snatched out the folded piece of paper. Once he unfolded it, his heart started hammering.

_The Spring Tournament starts today._

A smile born of pure joy and excitement spread across his face and ignited his eyes. He didn't realize Ichigo had crept up on him to see what all the fuss was about until he whirled around to share his news and accidentally knocked his friend in the nose.

 _"Fuck!"_ Ichigo hissed, grabbing the abused appendage.

"Shit! I'm sorry, Ich! I didn' know ya were right there!"

Ichigo slowly moved the muscles in his face, gingerly testing the area around his nose. Grimmjow didn't see any blood, so he waited for Ichigo to speak.

"It's OK, Grimm. Just...what the hell has you all orgasmic?"

Grimmjow grinned widely. "The Spring Tourney starts taday. We're havin' the first game at home."

"Really?" Ichigo asked, eyes widening. "Cool! You're playin', right?"

"Fuck yes. I'd beat Kenpachi like a rug if he tried to bench me."

Ichigo chortled and carefully rubbed his nose. "Um, you, uh, you want me to, um..."

Grimmjow's face went serious for real for the first time that morning. "Yes," he enunciated precisely. "I want you there."

Ichigo seemed startled by the intensity of his statement, but Grimmjow wanted his best friend to realize just how much his attending the game would mean to him. After meeting Ichigo, it had always been his dream to play with the orange-haired boy cheering him on from the stands, and once he'd moved to America and done all his growing, the dream had only solidified into a very real goal. He needed Ichigo to be there, to see all that Grimmjow had accomplished so far. He still planned to make it to the pros, preferably in America, and he needed his best friend along for the ride.

"Will ya come?"

Ichigo gave him a blank stare before his face transformed into a ray of sunshine. "Don't be dumb! Of course I'll come!"

Grimmjow relaxed as he smiled back at Ichigo. Things were working out just perfectly.

XOXOXO

Ichigo snorted. "You still snore and your morning breath is fuckin' lethal."

"Ha! Whose breath doesn't smell in the mornin'? Tha's like girls pretendin' they don' take shits," Grimmjow retorted, hiking his duffel bag higher on his shoulder.

Ichigo almost toppled over from laughing so hard. It was true! Why the hell did girls _do_ that? Taking a dump was normal, natural, _human_ even. So why act like it was the grossest thing in the world?

"You're retarded!"

Grimmjow chuckled as he glanced down at him. "Ya know I'm right. S'why yer laughin' so hard."

"Sh-shut up."

They walked on towards the high school, Ichigo nearly a foot shorter than Grimmjow. The blue-haired boy sported their school uniform, but managed to make the drab clothing look like a designer suit. His short-sleeved white dress shirt hugged his torso just enough that it wasn't crassly tight, but did show off muscles no seventeen year-old boy was supposed to have. The gray tie was knotted, but hung loosely around his shirt collar and his gray pants were downright drool-worthy. Grimmjow had a fantastic butt and long, flawless legs. Ichigo had to _wrestle_ with the desire to sink his teeth into his best friend's backside.

Come to think of it, he had to wrestle with a lot of shit that morning as he walked to school beside Grimmjow. Shit he never thought he would have to think about, let alone experience when it came to Grimmjow. The lust he'd felt when he'd first seen Grimmjow again had been understandable. Shock, along with his friend's devastating handsomeness had been enough to produce a little attraction. Now, though? There were no excuses. Grimmjow was his best friend, his _brother_. Grimmjow had also made it clear that he didn't see Ichigo as anything romantic or sexual, so that alone should have dampened his urges to run his tongue all over Grimmjow's terrific stature.

Instead, they only seemed to worsen the longer he spent near the blue-haired giant.

"Yo! I see ya finally caught up ta each other!" a deep voice rang out, interrupting Ichigo's thoughts.

He'd just have to think about his strange desires for his best friend later. Right now, he had to deal with the rumpled-looking red-head striding towards him and Grimmjow. Renji never seemed to give a shit about his school uniform, but catch him outside of the high school and he always dressed impeccably.

"Yeah, no thanks ta you," Grimmjow grunted, narrowing his eyes. "Why'd ya tell me ya didn' know Ichigo?"

"Well, our other friends kinda wanted it ta be a surprise. For both a'ya."

"Hn."

Ichigo chuckled, feeling lighter than he had in years. "It worked."

Renji's head listed to the side, russet eyes narrowing as he considered Ichigo. The look in those reddish-brown orbs was too intense for the goofy teen and made Ichigo shift his gaze uncomfortably. He'd never seen Renji look like that before. Tatsuki, Inoue and Chado used that time to amble over, wide grins covering their faces - except Chado. He was only smirking.

"Aww, look! The dynamic duo is once again reunited. Does it feel so good?" Tatsuki sang, hands on her hips and dark eyes twinkling mischievously.

Ichigo smiled, fighting the urge to fawn over his best friend. Grimmjow obviously had no such reservations. "It does. I missed him," he said, ruffling Ichigo's hair.

Gooey heat rolled around in Ichigo's stomach and his heart thudded. He ignored it. Something was wrong with him, but he'd figure out what later. Maybe he was just coming down with a cold or something. Tatsuki smiled, but her eyes held the same disturbing glint that Renji's had. Ichigo blinked and turned to Chado, but found the brunet wearing an arched brow. What the hell was going on with his friends? The only one that still seemed normal was Inoue.

She smiled cheerfully and waved. "Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Mornin', Inoue," he grunted.

He was a little put off by his friends' strange behavior. He felt like he had yesterday when he'd realized that they had all been keeping things from him. Except yesterday, he hadn't really cared and had been content to find out what had been going on on his own. A large arm across his shoulders distracted him and brought his gaze to Grimmjow, but the taller teen was talking to one of his teammates that must have strolled up while Ichigo was being appraised by his friends.

Ichigo took the time to observe Grimmjow as he laughed and talked with his teammate, Nnoitra Jiruga. Grimmjow had his arm slung absently across Ichigo's shoulders, as if the action was second-nature. Truthfully, it had always been the other way around because of the height difference when they had been younger. Now, Grimmjow's arm around him made him blush. Back then, Grimmjow had been the one awkward about Ichigo's innocent affections. Funny how the tables had turned.

Grimmjow threw his head back and laughed at something the tall, skinny, raven-haired teen said and Ichigo found himself staring at Grimmjow's crinkled eyes and wide, grinning mouth, including ferally sharp canines. His heart was pounding and his stomach was burning again. That strange sensation of something crawling up the back of his throat was there once more, and it was making it difficult to breathe. When his eyes started watering, he swallowed hard, blinked and looked away from Grimmjow, only to lock eyes with Renji.

Renji folded thick arms across a broad chest and arched a brow, a smirk lifting the corner of his generous mouth. He took a step closer and leaned his upper body into Ichigo's space. "Best friend, huh, Ichigo?"

It wasn't a question at all by the tone of the red head's voice. "The fuck're you talking about?" Ichigo growled, hackles rising.

Renji's smirk turned into a sneer as he straightened. He started to speak, but a hand on his shoulder made him pause. Tatsuki stepped around him, a smile firmly in place.

"Renji's just being an idiot as usual, Ichigo. Don't mind him," she laughed.

Ichigo stared at Renji a bit more, trying to figure out what was going on, his heart in his throat. He didn't like the way Renji was acting, didn't like the things the boy had said _or_ the way Renji looked at him. He felt exposed, like Renji knew something Ichigo himself had no idea of.

"You OK?" that familiar deep voice murmured in Ichigo's ear.

Ichigo swallowed again, his entire being in an uproar. His stomach churned like boiling stew, his heart raced, and his limbs trembled slightly, like he'd just had a double shot of pure caffeine. "I'm fine," he answered his best friend.

Grimmjow removed his arm, but ruffled Ichigo's hair one more time. "Ya sure?" At Ichigo's nod, he grinned, the look of concern melting away almost instantly. "Alright. I gotta go, but I'll see ya at the game?"

Ichigo's lightened mood slowly returned the longer he looked at Grimmjow. He couldn't wait to see Grimmjow play in a real game. "Duh, Grimm. See ya."

Grimmjow nodded and turned away, talking animatedly with Nnoitra. Probably about the upcoming game. Ichigo watched Grimmjow's tall form moving away towards the entrance of the school, mind overturning itself. There was _definitely_ something wrong with him.

He turned back to Tatsuki, Renji, Chado and Inoue and sighed. They were all watching him too carefully and it made him grind his teeth. Tension ratcheted to astonishing levels before Inoue's bright smile shattered it. "We're so glad to see you smiling again, Kurosaki-kun!" she chirped.

The others nodded, small grins forming everywhere and it was enough to soothe Ichigo's nerves. Maybe _that_ had been the reason his friends had been eyeing him like an unchained tiger. They weren't used to seeing him in such a good mood, so being abruptly presented with it must have thrown them for a loop.

Ichigo nodded. "Thanks, Inoue."

He would just ignore the inconsistency of Renji's behavior for the time being.

XOXOXO

"TOUCHDOWN CROWS!"

Grimmjow grinned and spiked the oblong ball, then turned back to face his team that was running at him, full-tilt. He was overwhelmed by bodies, most trying to hug him, some grabbing the face-mask of his helmet, and others slapping his ass. He was proud and happy. After snatching an interception, he'd run the ball to the end zone, no one being able to touch him, let alone stop him. It had been the fourth quarter, ten seconds left on the clock and they'd been down by two points. They could have gained possession of the ball and gone for a field goal, but Grimmjow wouldn't have been satisfied with just that.

The interception had seemed like fate: perfect timing and execution. The opposing team, the Nagasaki Dragons, hadn't anticipated that Grimmjow would be able to make it to their wide receiver before the ball, thus using his height advantage to nab it. Once he had, there had been no force on their team that could have stopped him. The clock had run out while he'd fled down the field, but since it was a play in motion, he was allowed the touchdown.

Score one for the Crows.

What made this victory even sweeter was the orange-haired boy standing in the bleachers. He was waving a red and white Crows banner, his face crimson from screaming so much. Anytime Grimmjow had done something, Ichigo had been on his feet cheering and when the Dragons' tight end had fouled Grimmjow by jumping up and grabbing his face mask to bring him down, Ichigo had again leaped to his feet, screaming in indignation. As far as Grimmjow was concerned, he didn't even need the flouncing cheerleaders. He was good with Ichigo.

The teams lined up and shook hands in a display of good sportsmanship, then began filing off the field, the Dragons more depressed and huddled. Grimmjow had taken his helmet off so he could see better after the team had let up on the congratulations, so he was perfectly aware when the head cheerleader skipped over to him.

"Hi, Grimmjow-kun," she greeted, batting her eyelashes.

She was cute, but Grimmjow knew she only wanted him for his status. He would never take anyone seriously in that manner. He had a feeling he was destined for a life of bachelorhood, but it didn't bother him the way he thought it would. He had his mom, football and he had Ichigo. Everything else was a very distant second.

"Hey, Rangiku," he said absently.

He'd looked her over briefly, noted the red and white cheering uniform with the short pleated skirt and tight sleeveless v-neck top and glanced away, unimpressed. Rangiku had boobs for years and hips for months. She had a small waist, long shapely legs, a heart-shaped face with full pouty lips, long, wavy apricot hair and crystal blue eyes. She was gorgeous, but the fact that she only wanted him because he was popular, turned Grimmjow off and left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Congrats on the win!" she continued.

Grimmjow paused his steps and looked down at her. "Thanks. Did ya want somethin'?"

"Aww, I was just saying hi," she pouted.

"Nah, you were beatin' 'round the bush fer somethin'," he said with a smirk, his eyes going to the low neckline of her top, where an illegal amount of cleavage was exposed.

Just because he didn't like her, didn't mean he wouldn't fuck her. He was a guy after all.

She must have noticed the lechery in his gaze because she smiled and put a hand on her hip. "Maybe you're right. Wanna meet up later?"

Before he could respond, Ichigo appeared over the railing of the bleachers above them. His brows were drawn together in a disapproving glare as his eyes alternated between Grimmjow and Rangiku. He looked upset about something. Grimmjow frowned, confused as he stepped towards Ichigo, ignoring Rangiku completely.

"Hey, Ichigo, wussup?"

Ichigo's frown lifted and his smile lit up the stands. "Congrats, Grimm! Wanna go celebrate?"

Grimmjow felt his heart leap with happiness as he grinned broadly and nodded. "Hell yes. Jus' lemme go change, yeah?"

"Alright. Hurry up! I'll be out front," Ichigo said before scurrying away.

Grimmjow continued smiling as he went to the locker room, deaf to Rangiku's calls. He had some celebrating to do with his best friend.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Ichigo paced the front of the school, his hands shoved into his uniform pockets and heart racing way too quickly. His mind was bouncing around like a tiny rubber ball in a cavernous room and his whole body shook uncontrollably. He hadn't realized how exciting a real football game could be, so standing in the bleachers, cheering for his best friend had come as an enlightening experience. Grimmjow was strong. He was fast and he was extremely graceful, even though he was bigger than most of the other high school students on the field. He ran them over like they weren't even there. Ichigo had been amazed, stunned, but most of all: proud. His throat was hoarse and raw from all the screaming he'd done, but he wouldn't turn back time to change anything. In fact, if he could, he'd go back just so he could do it all over again.

Ichigo took a seat on the stones that were situated like stairs in front of the school, his blood rushing ruthlessly. He didn't know why he was so nervous, but he did know that he was ashamed of himself. He hadn't meant to look at the school slut that way when he'd seen her talking to Grimmjow so shamelessly, but then again, Ichigo really didn't like her. He definitely didn't think she deserved a second of Grimmjow's time, and it wasn't just because he was being selfish, either. Ichigo knew that Rangiku had a habit of attaching herself to the most popular boy in the school and since Grimmjow had just won the game for the Crow's, it had been more than obvious that she had her sights on him. Ichigo didn't like the idea of Grimmjow sleeping with Rangiku at all. It made his stomach hurt and caused a dead weight to fall on his chest. His hands went all clammy and his arm pits started sweating.

He really didn't like that girl.

But, of course, it wasn't up to him. Grimmjow had informed him on his return that he was bisexual, meaning he was also attracted to girls. Not only that, but – what the hell was Ichigo even thinking about Grimmjow's sex life for? They were best friends. Nothing more. He didn't have a say in who the blue-haired boy fucked.

"Yo! Earth to Ichigo!" a deep voice cut across his thoughts, startling him.

Ichigo glanced up, then sighed noisily when he realized his visitor was Renji. "What, idiot?"

"Hohh? Now, now, is that any way ta talk ta the man that knows all a'yer secrets?" Renji said, his already deep voice lowering as he took a seat next to Ichigo.

Ichigo frowned. "Spill it. What're you talkin' about? You've been acting strange since this morning."

"What's the story with you and the jolly blue giant?"

Ichigo smirked as he averted his gaze to his school shoes. He refused to let the blush that was threatening to creep over his ears and face do so. "We've just been friends for a really long time."

There was a pregnant pause. Ichigo peered at Renji from the corner of his eye and wanted to grimace. Renji was giving him a blank stare that clearly read he wasn't letting go of the bone he'd just secured.

"Ya really think I'm gonna let ya get away with that? C'mon! Tell me _somethin'_! How didja meet him? And how come he was in America? Nobody wants ta tell me shit, so I gotta ask you!"

Ichigo sighed, raising his head reluctantly. There was nothing he had to hide, so he didn't see any reason for not telling Renji the story of how he and Grimmjow met and so on. "It's a long story," he said, testing the waters.

Renji sat forward on his stone and cupped his chin with his hands. "I'm listenin'."

"But...Grimmjow will be out soon and I promised him we'd go celebrate."

"Yer stallin'."

"Am not," Ichigo said stubbornly as he turned to glance at the metal double door school entrance.

"Yeah, ya are. Now hurry up before Blue comes out here. Dish."

"Why are you out here so soon anyway? Didn't you shower?"

"Yeah, I did. Now stop changin' the subject."

Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Where should he start? "Fine. What do you know already?"

Renji rubbed his hairless chin and quirked his lips. "Only that you an' him were best friends, and then he disappeared and went to America for some mysterious reason that nobody wants ta talk about. He's been gone for seven years, right?"

"Yeah. Well, you weren't around back then, but Grimm used to be really small in middle school when we first became friends. Like runt small. But he always wanted to be an American football player. The thing was – and don't tell him I told you this! He'll kill me. Anyway, the thing was, he didn't have that much money, so he didn't have the option of going to private schools or whatever. Everyone picked on him because of his hair and eyes, so he got into a lot of fights and thrown out of all the public schools for it. The middle school we went to was his last chance at going to high school so he could play ball, but then there were these two idiots that just kept fuckin' with him, like they knew he was trying his hardest not to get kicked out. They always started fights, but Grimmjow would never hit them back. That's when I noticed him. I wondered why he wouldn't fight back, never mind the fact that he was small."

"Yeah, that sounds like you," Renji put in.

Ichigo snorted, but continued. "Anyway, ass-face. After I saw him getting jumped by – hey, you know these guys too! They go to Komagata High. You wouldn't remember them from back then, but I know you've played in games against them, since they play football too."

"Would you get to the point already, Ichigo! I'm getting' gray hairs here!"

"Fuck off. Ya want me to tell ya the story, right?"

"Whatev-"

"Then shut the fuck up. Anyway, the guys' names are Shirosaki Ogihci and Gin Ichimaru."

"Those little bitches?" Renji asked incredulously, his tattooed eyebrows lifting and hiding under his bandana. Ichigo nodded and tucked his lips between his teeth. "Get the fuck outta here."

"It's true."

"They had the nerve to pick on somebody in school? As scrawny as they are? I mean, Gin is a quarterback 'cuz any other position and he'd get eaten alive. And that loud mouth Shirosaki is a running back because, well, tha's what he does. He runs, the little bitch."

Ichigo snorted at Renji having the nerve to call someone else a loud mouth, but continued telling the story, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds to make sure Grimmjow wasn't on his way out. "Yeah, well. They fucked with him because they knew he wouldn't do anything, so I stepped in. I got them to leave him alone, but then Grimmjow got pissed with me. He started talking about not pitying him and all, but it just confused me even more. So, I watched him, wondering why he wouldn't do anything when Shiro and Gin would mess with him. Got tired of watching and just approached him. I made the idiot stop thinking I was pitying him and then we just started hanging out after that."

"Aww, you fell in love. How sweet," Renji crooned, his russet eyes devilish.

"Sh-shut up!" Ichigo snapped, his face flooding and burning intensely.

He was so embarrassed, but he didn't know why. He supposed hearing that word in the same sentence as his best friend's name made him uncomfortable. Ichigo rubbed a hand over his face, trying to hide the crimson blanketing it. Needless to say, he was unsuccessful.

"So, after you guys got married, what happened? Why'd he up and go ta America?"

"Would you _stop_ saying shit like that? Christ."

Renji chuckled, but glossed over Ichigo's statement. "So? What happened?"

"I thought that would be obvious! Didn't I tell you Grimmjow had been fighting and getting kicked out of all the other public schools? The one we attended was his last chance."

Renji gave him a blank stare before saying slowly, "Tell me the whole story, jackass."

With a long-suffering sigh, Ichigo rolled his eyes and pressed his lips together. "I don't know exactly what happened. Grimm won't talk about it, even now, but back then, he just up and disappeared for four days straight. That was very weird for him, so naturally, I worried. I didn't know what the hell was going on with him, but one day, Inoue came and told me that him, Shiro and Gin had been expelled, which was the worst news he could have received at the time. So, after school, I went to see him. Now, ya gotta understand, Grimm was kinda embarrassed about where he lived, so he'd never asked me to come over. Only my mom had known where he lived, but before I heard he had been expelled, I'd followed him home. I never let him know that I had followed him because I knew he would get mad, but after finding out that he'd been expelled, I threw that shit outta the window. I was pissed that he hadn't told me – his best fuckin' friend – that he'd been kicked out of school, so I went over there to hear it from his mouth.

"Like I'd thought, he was pissed that I knew where he lived, but I got around all that. We talked and things went back to normal, but a couple days after that...he left. The night before, he'd stayed at my house and everything; he hadn't even changed his behavior or said anything about going to America. I found out from my mom that he was leavin' and I made her take me to the airport to see him before he left."

Renji held up a large hand. "Wait. How did yer mom know he was leavin'?"

"She was kind of close to Grimm's mom after me and him started hangin' out."

"You mean after you guys eloped?"

Ichigo turned and lifted his fist threateningly. "Stop sayin' that shit, Renji."

Renji barked a loud, obnoxious laugh and shook his head. "Whatever."

"Anyway. When I went to see him in the airport, he was already about to board, so I just kind of hugged him from behind – shut up – then told him not to turn around. That I'd see him when he came back. He agreed and after that, I hadn't heard from him until he came back," Ichigo ended, his voice trailing off.

Loud sniffling drew his attention to the red-haired idiot at his side. "You guys!" Renji hiccuped. "That's like some Titanic shit."

"I swear to god, I hate your fucking guts right now," Ichigo snapped.

"You do not. Yer such a liar. Anywho. Ya know people are talkin' right?"

"About what?"

Renji sighed and rolled his eyes. Ichigo pursed his lips, impatient and a tad annoyed. So what? He didn't know what the hell the idiot was talking about. "Well, the other guys on the team that don't really know you are wonderin' what's goin' on between you and the big guy. They saw him just leave the field durin' a practice and lemme tell ya, that's not somethin' that should be taken lightly."

"Annnd? That means what to me? You know I don't give a shit about what other people say or think about me."

"Haha, yeah yer right. Nah, but anybody wit' eyes can see that you and Grimmjow are, uh... _close_ , for a lack of better words."

Ichigo shrugged carelessly and wiped his sweating hands on the front of his pants. "So? We are close. We're best friends, in case you've forgotten."

"You idiot," Renji sighed. "Are ya seriously sittin' here tellin' me that you-"

"Nah, I'm goin' out already. Hit me tamorrow!" Grimmjow's voice boomed from behind, making both Ichigo and Renji jump.

Ichigo turned his upper body towards the entrance and instantly felt his insides ignite. His stomach got fuzzy and his heart started pounding, like he was strapped into a speeding car with no brakes. Grimmjow sauntered towards him, his short-sleeved school shirt halfway undone, tie hanging loosely around the collar and gray pants clinging low on his hips. He wore a white sweatband around his left wrist and carried a duffel bag over his shoulder. He was grinning widely and god, Ichigo didn't think he could breathe anymore. He watched, completely fascinated and totally oblivious to his surroundings as his best friend made his way over to him. Ichigo hadn't even bothered looking to see who Grimmjow had been talking to; his entire attention had been captured by the blue-haired teen.

Ichigo hadn't realized that his mouth had fallen open until Renji gently gripped his chin and closed it for him. Thoroughly embarrassed, he avoided the red head's amused gaze and instead focused on Grimmjow, who had come to a stop beside him. Ichigo craned his neck and looked up into his friend's face, heart nearly giving out on him. Any minute now and he would keel over from either a stroke or heart failure.

"Ya ready?" Grimmjow asked and Ichigo had to fight the heat creeping over his cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Welp! Guess I'll take my leave now since I've suddenly become invisible," Renji stated loudly as he climbed to his feet.

Ichigo gave the red head a nasty look before rolling his eyes. Grimmjow just looked on in confusion, one brow arched. Ichigo didn't know what Renji was up to or why he'd been saying such suggestive things about Grimmjow, but he really didn't want Grimmjow knowing that they'd been having a full-blown conversation about him.

"Shut up," Ichigo grumbled, climbing to his feet as well.

Renji laughed like Ichigo had just told a joke rather than being told to shut his trap. "I'm off! You ladies enjoy yer night!"

With that, he ambled away towards the sidewalk, his hands shoved into the pockets of his school pants, leaving Grimmjow and Ichigo alone. Ichigo could hear ominous piano music in his head as he shifted his weight nervously, not quite meeting his best friend's eyes. He was suddenly gripped by anxiety, not sure what he should say or do. He'd had the idea of hitting the arcade, but he wasn't sure how Grimmjow felt about video games anymore. Now, he was too afraid to even ask him. What the fuck was wrong with him? Where had his balls gone?

An arm around his shoulders made Ichigo freeze. "So, where we goin'?" Grimmjow asked, his eyes holding Ichigo hostage.

"U-um. I was...huh?"

There was a long pause before Grimmjow chuckled and removed his arm. "What's up with you lately, Ichigo?"

Ichigo felt his heart tremble and he knew he was about to panic a second before it happened. He couldn't even avoid the disaster shoving at him. "I don't know what you're talkin' about," he said, his words running together.

Grimmjow gave him an incredulous look and took a step closer, his warm body just making things worse. He bent at the waist and peered into Ichigo's eyes. "Ya do realize that I ain't understand a word a'that, right?"

Ichigo laughed, his voice sounding slightly maniacal even to his own ears. "I didn't say anything!"

Another incredulous look was his reward. Grimmjow slowly straightened, gave Ichigo a sideways glare and stalked off towards the sidewalk. Ichigo's stomach fell to his knees as he watched his best friend walk away from him, apparently angry about something. Grimmjow's gait was stiff and lacked its usual sexy fluidity, making Ichigo sigh. What was he supposed to say to the other teen? Tell him, 'Oh, no problem, Grimm. I'm just dealing with being dangerously attracted to you. But hey, ya know how that goes, right? No big deal.'

As if.

Ichigo trotted after Grimmjow, still trying to figure out what he was going to say to him when Grimmjow turned around abruptly, his blue eyes angry and glittering under the streetlight. "Don' follow me if yer gonna keep hidin' shit from me," he snapped.

Ichigo stood rooted to the cement, his mouth hanging open in astonishment. Grimmjow had never talked to him like that before. Well, no that wasn't exactly right, but that had been when they were younger and still feeling out their friendship. It shouldn't be like that now. Besides, Grimmjow's tone sent chills shooting up and down Ichigo's spine. Holy shit, indeed. He felt bad for the person that truly pissed Grimmjow off.

His thoughts had distracted him and allowed Grimmjow to turn away and continue walking down the street. Pressing his lips together, Ichigo set his resolve and followed after Grimmjow, his heart quaking and nerves completely shot. How was he supposed to approach an angered Grimmjow. Back when they'd been younger, it had been much easier. Grimmjow hadn't had as much effectiveness to his bark because, well, let's face it, he hadn't been that scary. The height and all, you see? Anyway, Ichigo had to re-evaluate things because this Grimmjow was huge and his threat was very real. Not that Ichigo was a punk by any means, but he wasn't in the mood to fight and be crushed like a grape by his own best friend. No, thank you.

Grimmjow must have heard his footsteps because he stopped walking, but he didn't turn around. Even that action was enough to paralyze Ichigo. His breathing stopped and so did his running. Grimmjow glanced over his shoulder, his brows furrowed and lips pulled into a tight sneer.

"Ichigo, I wasn' fuckin' jokin'," was all he said before resuming his walk.

"Would you stop bein' a baby and tell me why you're pissed?" Ichigo yelled, his hands balling into fists as he finally managed to find his nuts.

Grimmjow immediately stopped, dropped his duffel bag and whirled around, his aura flaring like someone throwing alcohol into a bonfire. He stalked up to Ichigo like he was ready to fight and Ichigo had to forcefully resist the urge to cower.

"What the fuck you just say ta me?" Grimmjow snarled.

"You heard me," Ichigo snarled back.

Was this their first true argument? Ichigo didn't like the feeling settling in his gut at the thought of being mad at Grimmjow and vice versa. Grimmjow's expression hardened as he grabbed a fistful of Ichigo's school shirt and dragged him closer.

"Somebody once told me that friends don' hide shit from each other. Think ya c'n help me figure out who that was?"

Ichigo felt the blood drain from his face as he stared into the arctic depths of Grimmjow's eyes. Sure, there was anger there, but what was really alarming was the amount of hurt residing in those intense royal blue eyes.

"I-I'm not-" Ichigo started, but was cut off by Grimmjow's fist tightening in his shirt.

"You even _think_ about lyin' ta me, an' I'll kick yer ass right here in the street."

Ichigo paused, rethinking what he'd been about to say. He was in fact hiding something from Grimmjow, but it just wouldn't do to have his best friend knowing that Ichigo was deeply attracted to him. So what now? What should he tell him? Ichigo clenched his jaw and brought his hands up to wrap around Grimmjow's wrist.

"Lemme go," he muttered, hoping the taller teen would have mercy on him and release the scary grip he had on his shirt.

Grimmjow opened his mouth and slowly enunciated, "N-o."

Ichigo frowned and snapped his mouth shut in anger. What the hell? Was this thing that serious? Then, he thought about it and his face softened into a remorseful expression. How could he fault Grimmjow for being pissed, when Ichigo had been the same exact way when Grimmjow had kept being expelled from him all those years ago?

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Grimmjow's grip immediately loosened and when Ichigo peered into those eyes again, he was amazed to see shock staring back at him.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow stared down at Ichigo, fury roiling around in his gut, making his head hurt. He'd never been this angry with Ichigo since he'd met him...and he hated it. At first, he'd been willing to let Ichigo's strange behavior slide, but when he'd realized that his orange-haired best friend was keeping things from him, it had pissed him off. Not to mention hurt. He'd thought those days of hiding shit from one another were over. So, why did Ichigo feel like he need to keep whatever was bothering him a secret?

"I'm sorry."

Grimmjow's hand slackened on its own when he heard those words. He remembered nearly having to pull Ichigo's teeth to get him to apologize for anything.

"What?" he asked stupidly.

Ichigo gave him a pained grin. "I didn't mean to make you feel like that, Grimm. I just...this thing that you think I'm hiding from you is kind of...hard for me to talk about."

"That never kept ya from pryin' inta my business before. Why should I do the same for you? Plus, yer getting' on my nerves wit' how yer actin'."

"Hey!" Ichigo snapped, his brow pulling into a scowl. Grimmjow resisted the urge to laugh as he thought how cute Ichigo was when he pouted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Grimmjow let him go and straightened to his full height, making Ichigo crane his neck to glare up at him. "It _means_ yer actin' like one a'those chicks that keep tryin' ta fuck me."

Ichigo's face went deathly white and it made Grimmjow blink in surprise. What? Had he said something wrong?

"What's wrong with you?" Grimmjow grunted, his own forehead creasing into a frown.

"What did you say?" Ichigo asked, his voice breathy, like he was about to faint.

"I said yer actin' like one a-"

"No, idiot! I fuckin' heard you!" Ichigo snapped, color creeping back into his face. "Why would you say somethin' like that?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "'Cuz...ya get all nervous an' shit around me. Then, ya start blushing and stuttering like I kissed ya er somethin'. What's wrong with you?"

Ichigo went silent again, but this time his face wasn't surprised or pale. In fact, if Grimmjow had to name what he was seeing on his best friend's face, he would have to say it was hurt. Like Grimmjow had just called Ichigo a really bad name or something.

"I guess I'm just getting used to being around you again," Ichigo commented, but his voice was dead.

Grimmjow glanced at Ichigo from the corner of his eye and froze. Ichigo had his mouth set stubbornly as if he had made his mind up about something and wasn't budging on it. Grimmjow wasn't sure what that meant, but he always got nervous when Ichigo made that face. Things never went well after Ichigo made his face like that.

Deciding to tiptoe into the situation, he put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "There's nothin' ta get used to. I'm still the same old Grimm, right?"

Ichigo gave him an evil look before rolling his deep brown eyes. "Yeah right."

Grimmjow shrugged and changed the subject. He didn't like the look on Ichigo's face and figured a brighter topic would help the orange-haired teen's mood. "So, where we goin'? We still celebratin', right?"

Ichigo nodded, his countenance lighting up immediately. "I had an idea, but I don't know if you'll like it."

"Lay it on me."

Ichigo paused, his lips pressing together before he continued speaking. "Remember that arcade we used to go to?"

Grimmjow remembered all right. "Holy shit! Is that place really still there?" Ichigo nodded enthusiastically. "Damn, does Kyoraku-san still run it?"

"Yup. Still gets drunk all the time too," Ichigo laughed, his eyes crinkling and cheeks dimpling.

Grimmjow joined in with the laughter, his heart light as a cloud. Even though Ichigo had studiously avoided what was bothering him, Grimmjow let it go. For now, he just loved seeing Ichigo with a smile on his face. Which was why it had bothered him so much when he'd had to show him anger. Now that he thought about it, though, he'd much rather be the one showing Ichigo anger because that way he knew it was done out of tough love. Someone else giving Ichigo shit would have to answer to Grimmjow.

Plain and simple.

Ichigo was _his_ best friend.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**Two Weeks Later**

Ichigo frowned down at the football field, his stomach doing slow somersaults. He really didn't like that girl. Rangiku had her arm around Grimmjow's waist as he made his way to the locker room entrance. After Ichigo and Grimmjow had had that disagreement on their way to the arcade two weeks ago, Grimmjow had begun unofficially seeing the orange-haired girl. It was only unofficial because Grimmjow never claimed her; he merely stated that they were just having fun whenever anyone asked about their status.

Rangiku on the other hand, proudly claimed Ichigo's best friend as her "boyfriend." Just hearing her talking about it made heat and sharp anger twist Ichigo's gut into a pretzel. He really didn't like that girl. The Crows had just won another game and were well on their way to the playoffs for the championship; it was no wonder that Rangiku had made it her business to attach herself to Grimmjow's side. Ichigo knew for a fact that she would do anything to keep herself in the limelight, so why not ride the coattails of the most popular guy in the school at the moment. If Grimmjow was too dumb to see what was going on with that slut, then there was nothing Ichigo could do. It was out of his hands – not that it had ever been in his hands to begin with.

He was still glaring down at the two of them when a large hand closed around his upper arm and made him whirl around to face the culprit. Shuuhei stood beside him, a wide grin covering his face.

"Hey, babe. What's goin' on?"

Ichigo almost grimaced at the endearment, but shrugged. "Not much. What's up?"

"Nothin'. What're ya doin' tonight?"

Ichigo rolled his shoulders, making Shuuhei release his grip. "Prob'ly just go home and relax."

"Can I come?" Shuuhei asked with a wolf grin and a sly wink.

Ichigo shrugged again, not really wanting to be bothered, but knowing that if he refused, Shuuhei would cop an attitude and think something was up. It was bad enough that he'd been whining about being neglected for the "new guy." Ichigo really didn't want to hear anymore of that.

"Sure."

Shuuhei's grin morphed into a genuine smile as he wrapped his arms around Ichigo's waist and drew him close. The dark-haired boy leaned in and inhaled deeply, his breath ruffling Ichigo's hair. Ichigo hated when Shuuhei did shit like that; it made him uncomfortable. He didn't want to be a bastard and tell the teen to stop, though. It would just make the situation worse, in his opinion.

"I missed you," Shuuhei murmured against Ichigo's ear.

Ichigo nodded, but didn't make any further reply. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't say that he'd missed Shuuhei; he didn't have feelings like that for the guy. However, he did like having sex with him, so – even if he was being a bit selfish – he couldn't bring himself to tell Shuuhei the truth. Ichigo eased himself out of Shuuhei's arms using the guise of heading away from the bleachers as his excuse to get away. They made their way from the field, Ichigo's heart beating at a rapid pace as he glanced around and spotted Renji leaving the locker room. Didn't the guy ever shower after a game? He was always the first to leave.

Shuuhei was busy trying to trap Ichigo with his arm again, but Ichigo skillfully avoided him each time, finally drawing an exasperated sigh from the dark-haired teen. Unfortunately, that was the least of Ichigo's problems. Renji's russet eyes honed in on Ichigo with absolute precision and a wide, devious grin spread across his angular features. The taller boy sauntered over, his duffel bag slung over his broad shoulder.

"Yo, Ichigo. How's it goin'?" Renji's deep voice greeted.

"It's goin' good," Ichigo answered.

Shuuhei shifted beside him and cleared his throat. "'Sup, Renji?"

Renji glanced at Shuuhei and lifted his chin in silent greeting before turning back to Ichigo with that sneaky ass grin. "Celebratin' tanight?"

"Nah. Grimm's gonna be busy anyway," Ichigo said, trying to hide the bitterness in his tone. He didn't think he was very successful since Renji eyed him intensely.

"You should still come," Renji said, face serious all of a sudden.

Ichigo shook his head immediately and vehemently. "Nah. He needs his space, ya know?"

Shuuhei shifted again, but Ichigo ignored it. He knew he was probably making Shuuhei uncomfortable by talking about Grimmjow so familiarly, but he couldn't help it. The guy was his best friend after all.

However, the look on Renji's face threw Ichigo for a loop. Renji's brows were creased into a scowl and his mouth was balled up as if he were thinking really hard about something. It confused Ichigo.

"What's wrong with you?"

Renji just shrugged and looked over his shoulder when voices exploded from the locker room. Nnoitra and Kensei were arguing about something, their faces stormy and bodies extremely aggressive. Szayel followed behind them, his head shaking in quiet exasperation, while Starrk stood beside him, his eyes alive with mischief, but demeanor more than lazy. His hip was cocked to the side as he put all the weight of his body on his left foot. Grimmjow emerged from the locker room as well and was immediately ensnared by Rangiku, who had been waiting outside for him. Ichigo rolled his eyes, but the action didn't go unnoticed by Renji, who shook his head as if he felt bad for Ichigo.

"Yo, Ichigo. Lemme kick it witcha fer a minute over here," Renji suggested, eyes hard and glittering as he stared Shuuhei down, silently daring the teen to disagree.

Apparently, Shuuhei got the message because he frowned, but didn't protest. Ichigo followed Renji a few feet away where they couldn't be heard and turned to face the taller boy. He was wondering what the hell Renji wanted, when he was frozen by the cold glare being sent his way. Scowling, he pursed his lips.

"What?" he asked.

Renji put a hand on his shoulder and it drew the attention of almost everyone standing around, including Grimmjow and Rangiku. Grimmjow's bright blue eyes narrowed, while Rangiku watched in curiosity, her sultry, ice blue eyes twinkling. Ichigo had been getting a weird vibe from her since that day he and Grimmjow had gone to celebrate the Crows' first win, but that was then and this was now. Now, Ichigo was too preoccupied with figuring out what was going through Renji's mind.

"Ich, we're friends, right?" Renji asked. Ichigo nodded hesitantly. Of course they were. Why was Renji asking him something like that right now, though? "Then, I really think ya should come out wit' us."

Ichigo sighed and shook his head again. "No-"

"Wouldja think fer a minute? I know what's goin' on between you and the big guy an' I don' like how it seems like yer givin' up."

Ichigo opened his mouth, a frown etched across his face. "What the fuck are you talkin' about?"

Renji sucked his teeth and glanced over his shoulder. He must have noticed Grimmjow eyeing the two of them because that wolf grin was back in full force when he turned back to Ichigo. "Lemme show ya what I'm talkin' 'bout."

With that, Renji put his arm around Ichigo's shoulders and pulled him close, his warm body sending lecherous waves through Ichigo. Renji's lips brushed his ear and his rumbling baritone caressed his eardrums. What the fuck was going on?

"Look over my shoulder, but don't be obvious 'bout it. You'll see somethin' interestin'," Renji mumbled.

Ichigo had to clear the cobwebs from his vision from being so close to someone he'd only considered a friend beforehand. His and Renji's position was very intimate to any onlookers and it didn't go over Ichigo's head. However, he managed to look in the direction that Renji had suggested – discreetly of course. When he did, he was shocked to see Grimmjow glaring, a deep frown marring his brow. Rangiku was struggling to maintain her grip on the boy's arm, but Grimmjow was way too strong for her. He brushed her aside easily and started in their direction, his gait stiff and pissed off for some reason. Ichigo panicked at the sight of an angry Grimmjow heading fast in his direction. He pulled back and looked into Renji's amused eyes.

"Is he comin' over here?"

Ichigo nodded, eyes wide as shock coursed through his system. How had Renji known? "H-he looks pissed."

"Yeah, I figured that much," Renji said with a deep sigh. "You guys're idiots."

"Why d'you keep sayin' that?" Ichigo asked, finally fed up with the game playing and mystery.

"Because you two are in l-"

"What the fuck're ya doin', Renji?" Grimmjow's deep voice interrupted.

Ichigo frowned up at his best friend. He wanted to hear what Renji had been about to say and now he couldn't. "You idiot," he snapped, making Grimmjow turn that glare in his direction.

"I thought ya had a boyfriend!"

Ichigo's eyes went anime wide as he stared at Grimmjow. How many times had they gone over this? And what the hell did that have to do with anything? Why was Grimmjow suddenly acting like his mother or something?

"He's _not_ my boyfriend, you prick!" Ichigo growled, trying his damnedest to get up in Grimmjow's face.

Wasn't working. The guy was just too fucking tall.

Grimmjow helped him out though and lowered his face only inches from Ichigo's. "Yer fuckin' 'im, so that makes 'im yer boyfriend."

Ichigo's mouth opened and closed in pure astonishment before he snarled and grabbed Grimmjow's collar. "Ain't that the pot callin' the kettle black, asshole?"

"What, bitch?"

"You heard me, skank! If that's the case, then that makes that slut over there your girlfriend!" Ichigo shouted, face on fire as he realized what he'd just blurted.

He balled up his lips and averted his eyes before stalking away, embarrassed. That had sounded way too much like a jealous lovers' spat. Ichigo glanced over his shoulder to see Renji cracking up and Grimmjow glaring back and forth between them. What the hell was with Grimmjow lately? After their argument, he'd been extra anal and it was rubbing Ichigo the wrong way. They were supposed to be best friends, but now they did more arguing than anything. It was baffling. Ichigo was so distracted, he didn't realize Shuuhei was standing right beside him until the teen had his arm around his shoulders again. He blinked up at Shuuhei and sighed at the frown on the boy's face.

"What was that about?"

"I honestly don't really know," Ichigo answered wearily.

He was telling the truth; he really didn't know what that was all about, courtesy of Grimmjow's untimely interruption. Ichigo glanced over his shoulder again and saw the football team walking away, Grimmjow heads above everyone except Nnoitra. His face was still screwed up in anger, his back stiff. Renji sauntered beside him, his expression amused as he turned and locked eyes with Ichigo once again. The red head arched a brow as if to say, 'well, what are you gonna do?' Oh, Ichigo had every intention of finding out what Renji had been about to tell him. He just had to get the idiot alone.

XOXOXO

"Drink! Drink! Drink!" Nnoitra chanted over the blasting music in the background.

Grimmjow grimaced and knocked back the red and white cup of beer in his hand. He was fucked up, tore down, twisted, but he refused to give Nnoitra a reason to pop shit about him. He crushed the cup in his palm and roared. Rangiku was clinging to his side and driving him absolutely nuts. She never gave him an inch of space, making everyone think she really was his girlfriend. He'd been looking forward to the night of celebrating since Nnoitra had informed the team that his parents were out of town for the week and he had a ready supply of beer in the basement. Grimmjow had expected Ichigo to tag along like he usually did, but when Grimmjow had realized that his orange-haired best friend wouldn't be accompanying them, his mood had turned sour. Rangiku just added to the bad mood.

But drinking certainly made him forget about everything momentarily...except Ichigo. The alcohol in his system roiled and threatened to make him hurl just at the thought of his "best friend." He'd realized something after that argument they'd had a couple weeks ago. Ichigo had been hiding something from him for sure and Grimmjow had an idea what it was. Contrary to what most believed about him, he wasn't a complete idiot. Sure he was slow at times, but he was far from stupid. The looks Ichigo had been giving him, Ichigo's strange behavior...it all added up to one thing: Ichigo liked him. And not just as best friends, either.

Grimmjow reached for another cup that wasn't crushed beyond recognition and filled it to the brim with more beer. He knew he shouldn't overindulge, but fuck...he was already drunk as hell, so it was too late for that shit. He aggressively shoved away the orange-haired girl at his side, grumbling something nonsensical as he made his way onto Nnoitra's back patio. Rangiku had been in the process of following behind him, but thankfully, Starrk distracted her, giving Grimmjow a sly wink as he did so. Grimmjow smiled and nodded his thanks as he fumbled in his pocket for his cell, knowing the small white device was hidden in there somewhere. Once he found it, he slid the glass door of the patio shut, muffling the sounds of drunken partying from inside. He stumbled some on the wooden deck, his sneakers squeaking loudly and making him grimace. He squinted down at the bright screen of his phone and took a sip from his cup. The beer was tasteless by now, merely adding to his buzz as he leaned heavily against the railing of the deck.

He tapped the screen slowly and deliberately, cursing his big hands and fingers when he missed a few keys. Oh well. As long as his message went through, it was all good. He grinned as he held the phone in his hand, his body swaying as he took yet another sip of beer. He chuckled to himself as he realized that he was completely fucked up and couldn't stand still to save his life. Images were running together and it was a miracle that he was able to see the glowing screen of his phone at all. However, he was aware enough to jump when his phone vibrated noisily in his hand. He squinted down at the screen again and smirked.

_What's ur problem?_

Ichigo thought he was mad at him? Well, he had pretty much been an ass earlier. He didn't even know why, either; he just knew that seeing yet another guy with their arm around Ichigo made his stomach hurt. Yeah, he was fucking Rangiku and yeah, Ichigo had made a valid point by poking a huge hole in his argument. He hadn't known what else to say, though. Grimmjow just didn't want anyone else with their paws all over his best friend. His best friend that liked him...in more than a best friend kind of way if the way Ichigo had been acting was any indication.

_No prblm_

Grimmjow sipped his beer again and lowered himself to the floor of the deck, his head spinning too quickly. He leaned his head against the wooden railing and waited for Ichigo to respond. Grimmjow had been expecting a text, but his phone vibrated and when he glanced down at the screen, he was shocked to see Ichigo's name pop up under "incoming call."

He lifted the phone to his ear. "Yo."

There was a brief pause before Ichigo snapped, "Yer drunk, aren'tcha?"

Grimmjow smiled from ear to ear, a giggle escaping him. "Yup. 'Cha doin'?"

Ichigo sighed loudly and Grimmjow heard movement in the background. Maybe sheets. "I was goin' ta bed. I have a meet tomorrow."

That sobered Grimmjow right up. He'd been looking forward to seeing Ichigo run at a meet and here was his chance. "Iz in tha mornin'?"

Ichigo chuckled, his deep voice coming through Grimmjow's speaker and making his heart race. He was drunk. That had to be it. "Nah, it's after school. Five, actually."

Grimmjow had practice, but screw that. He'd be there with bells on, for sure. Hangover and all. "Goin'," he grunted.

"What?" Ichigo asked and Grimmjow could picture that face pressed against a white pillow and that lean body snuggled beneath a matching blanket.

"Said m'goin'."

"Haha! Sorry, you're not quite speaking Japanese right now. Drunk idiot."

Grimmjow was indeed intoxicated off his ass, but he still recognized the affection in Ichigo's tone when he'd said "drunk idiot." It made heat and cotton balls fill his stomach as his eyes slid shut. What was going on with him? Oh. He knew.

"'Chigo?"

"Hm?"

"Love you."

"What? I didn't hear you, Grimm."

Grimmjow grinned, but before he could speak again, his breathing evened out and he fell asleep.

**XxxxxX**

Grimmjow stood beside the track of Hokkaido High, a wide grin gracing his features. He was so excited, he could barely keep still. He watched avidly as the next race was called and Ichigo slowly sidled into place. His lean almost wiry body was clad in the red and white track and field uniform of their school, tan skin glowing under the slowly fading sun. His bright orange hair was being playfully teased by the wind as he tilted his chin towards the sky, his arms going behind his head in a stretch. Ichigo rolled his shoulders and lowered his arms, his attention riveted to the official holding a start gun.

Grimmjow had to check himself. His mouth was hanging open slightly as he stared at his best friend preparing for the two-hundred meter dash. He'd never seen Ichigo run in a real race before and his heart was proving that fact for him. Rather adamantly, if he'd say so himself. It was pounding wildly, making his mouth and throat dry. Grimmjow rubbed his hands together before pulling the collar of his jacket closer to his neck. He studiously ignored the appreciative glances being sent his way from the girls and guys of Hokkaido High, his focus all for Ichigo. Ichigo looked so beautiful standing there at the start line, his body a graceful work of art, all sleek lines and angles. Grimmjow's jaw tightened. The official had just blown his whistle, signaling the runners to lower themselves into the start position. Ichigo did just that, his thumbs and forefingers bracing the weight of his upper body and right leg bent and resting on the knee. His left leg was bent as well, but the knee lifted slightly from the burgundy turf.

The official blew the whistle again and Ichigo lifted his rear, his right knee coming off the ground. When the official pulled the trigger of the start gun, the noisy pop sounding like a firecracker, the runners took off...but none were as swift and flawless as Ichigo. Grimmjow tightened his grip on his jacket collar, his eyes widening as he watched his best friend immediately take the lead and leave the other runners in his dust. Ichigo's stride and form were perfect, his arms pumping and legs eating up the space between him and the finish line. A grin formed across Grimmjow's face as he stared. This was Ichigo's win all the way. The other runners hadn't stood a chance from the very beginning and Grimmjow couldn't contain his pride. He yelled loudly as Ichigo breezed past him, selfishly taking note of the small smile that lifted the corners of his best friend's lips.

Ichigo flew past the white line, his legs coming to a slow stop before he walked off the burst of speed with his hands on his slim hips. Grimmjow watched all too anxiously, his heart beating rapidly. He didn't care that he felt like he was at a game of his own, the adrenaline rushing through his system; all he cared about was the pleased look on Ichigo's face. As long as Ichigo was happy, so was he.

Ichigo shook hands with the rest of the runners as they crossed the finish line before he finally made his way over to Grimmjow. Grimmjow grinned widely, the wind tousling his hair ruthlessly. It was a bit chilly being the Fall and all, but Ichigo didn't seem to mind the weather, even though he was wearing a pair of scandalously short shorts and sleeveless top. "CROWS" was written across his chest in large, white, block letters, floating amidst a red banner. The shorts were red as well and for some strange reason, Grimmjow couldn't take his eyes off of the boy.

"Hey," Ichigo greeted, his gait a slow saunter.

"Yo. I see ya kicked ass, yeah?"

"Of course! What? Ya thought you were the only one good at something around here?"

Grimmjow chuckled and lightly cuffed Ichigo's chin with a closed fist. "Cocky shit. Anyway, I didn't know ya were that fast. When'd ya start running? I don't remember ya bein' inta that sorta thing before I went ta America."

Ichigo laughed shyly, his hand going up to rub the back of his neck. Grimmjow smirked. Old habits die hard, he noticed. "Yeah. It was somethin' I picked up in high school. The old man got on my ass about being inactive, so I just thought maybe running would be fun."

"Oh yeah? That's cool. Good to see yer actually nice at it."

"Whatever. I thought you had practice today?"

Grimmjow shrugged carelessly as he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. "Yeah."

Ichigo arched an orange brow at him and placed a hand on his hip. "And? Aren't you gonna get in trouble for skipping? Kenpachi isn't the nicest guy in the world, you know."

"Haha. Understatement, my friend. But it's all good. I don't ever miss practice, so I'm guessing he won't crucify me this one time." Grimmjow paused and laughed at the expression on Ichigo's face. "Then again, maybe he will."

"Yeah, Kenpachi's a beast."

"Nah, he ain't that bad. Just a little strict, s'all."

"A little, you say?" Ichigo asked incredulously, his brown eyes glowing with much amusement.

Grimmjow felt his belly fill with alien butterflies as he stared at his friend. Ichigo was studying him just as closely, even though his expression was unreadable and it made Grimmjow nervous. Why was Ichigo looking at him like that? Had he done something unforgivable? He knew he had a tendency to be an asshole and quite overbearing at times, but he was normally aware of it during those times.

"What?" he asked, deciding to avoid beating around the bush.

Ichigo lifted his shoulder in a shrug as he averted his gaze to the other side of the bleachers. "I don't know."

"Don't lie..."

Ichigo's gaze swung back around and pinned Grimmjow in place. "I'm not lying. I wish you would stop saying that all the time. You should know I'm not a liar."

"Yeah, but you like hidin' shit."

"I do not."

"Yeah, ya do. Now what's on yer mind?"

Grimmjow held his breath as Ichigo quirked his lips in thought. When the orange-haired teen finally decided to speak, that breath came whooshing out in a rush.

"I was just curious, ya know? Last night you said something on the phone, but I, I didn't hear you. I asked you to say it again, but I think you passed out. You remember what you said?"

Grimmjow frowned. He'd been completely wasted the night before, so what Ichigo was asking him was nothing but a blur. He vaguely remembered calling his best friend, but as far as what he'd said? He couldn't recall it to save his life.

"I don' remember. I was trashed last night."

Ichigo's shoulders sagged in disappointment. Had it been that important? Grimmjow scowled and racked his brain trying to bring back the previous night's conversation. Wasn't working. All it did was give him a tension headache in his temples. He felt bad that he couldn't remember, especially looking at Ichigo's crestfallen expression. Maybe Ichigo had an idea of what Grimmjow had said and could give him a clue, maybe jog his memory a bit.

"You have any idea at all what I said? Maybe that'll help me remember."

Ichigo shook his head sadly, his mesmerizing brown eyes lowered to his track sneakers. His feet shuffled a bit before he looked up and met Grimmjow's curious gaze.

"I don't remember either. I just know you said my name like it was going to be important, but then the signal must have faded or something because I didn't hear anything after that."

Grimmjow pursed his lips. He really wished he could remember, but his mind was a blank. He'd been way too fucked up last night. Actually, he was surprised he even managed to make any kind of conversation with Ichigo with all the beer he'd consumed.

"Sorry, Ich."

That was all he could think to say to the boy. Ichigo looked so disappointed, like someone had just told him he'd been disqualified from the race he'd just dominated. Grimmjow hated seeing that look on his best friend's face and would give anything to keep it from being there. Ichigo suddenly straightened his back and smiled brightly. His fist came out and hit Grimmjow's shoulder playfully.

"Ah! Don't worry 'bout it. You were probably bein' sentimental anyway. The alcohol, ya know?"

Grimmjow grinned through his concern. "Fuck off. I don' get sentimental."

"Oh no?" Ichigo asked, his smile turning devilish. "I beg to differ, Jolly Blue Giant."

"Oi! Fuck you! Don' call me that! I get enough a'that from Renji's dumb ass."

Ichigo bent at the waist, laughter erupting from his chest. "I-I know! He says it all the time!"

Grimmjow swallowed his retort as he watched Ichigo laugh heartily. That was more like it. Seeing Ichigo's pretty brown eyes lit with laughter and happiness was enough to give Grimmjow's heart wings. He grimaced. What the hell was he thinking?

XOXOXO

**Graduation**

Ichigo twiddled his thumbs as he sat in the hard, red plastic chair. The black uniform he wore was tight around his throat, the high starched collar making it hard for him to breathe. He was nervous and excited all at the same time. He really didn't know what to expect now that they were graduating from high school. The Crows had dominated the sports field all across the board: the track team had won the National championship, as well as the basketball and American football teams. Ichigo grinned in remembrance of his best friend's enthusiasm and the way he'd worn his letter jacket and ring like a pendant of pride. Ichigo glanced over at the seat beside him and smiled. Grimmjow sat slouched in his seat, his deep blue eyes focused on the stage and the Valedictorian giving his speech. His long arms were slung behind Ichigo's seat and the girl's on his other side. She was blushing and giving Grimmjow furtive glances, but the tall, blue-haired boy was oblivious. He seemed like he was in a coma.

Ichigo let his eyes travel over Grimmjow's body, the black graduation uniform hugging him in places that should have been illegal. Those impossibly long legs were stretched out as far in front of him as they could go, his uniform top was unbuttoned, leaving the collar open a bit. Even though the collar was high and covered his neck, it still exposed a bit of his throat and made Ichigo hot under his own uniform. Grimmjow lifted the hand from behind the girl's seat and covered a loud yawn. The noisy action made the Valedictorian (Szayel, of course) freeze and glare down at him. Grimmjow responded with a saucy smirk before Szayel rolled his mustard-colored eyes and resumed where he'd left off.

Ichigo on the other hand, continued molesting his best friend with his eyes. He'd come to figure out exactly why he had heart palpitations whenever he was near Grimmjow and why just the mention of Grimmjow's name turned him into a flustered fool. Ichigo closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose deeply, secretly enjoying the scent coming from the bigger teen. When he opened his eyes, he met Grimmjow's curious gaze. Trying to hide his furious blush, he scowled.

"What?" he asked defensively.

Grimmjow shrugged, but lazily ran a hand through Ichigo's hair. "Nothin'."

Ichigo squirmed. Heat flared in his gut and spread over his ears, then turned his cheeks pink. It had become increasingly hard to ignore the feelings he experienced whenever Grimmjow talked to him, touched him, or even just smiled at him. Only now, Ichigo recognized the feelings for what they were.

A sudden commotion on the stage drew Ichigo's attention. He reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the alluring sight of his best friend and focused on the platform ahead. Szayel had been interrupted and was currently glaring at a widely smirking Renji. Ichigo had to admit that Renji looked damn good in his graduation uniform, his long, red hair tied at the base of his neck with a thin, black ribbon. The sneaky look on his face kind of defeated the overall effect though.

"YO!" Renji shouted into the microphone, making it screech from feedback. The students groaned and yelled, but Ichigo and Grimmjow chuckled as they watched the idiot red head cause mischief. "Tha's enough a'that, Yelzy. I wanna get outta here before my hair turns gray."

Szayel huffed indignantly, his chest puffing and thin arms folding across his chest. Ichigo still had a hard time believing the pink-haired student was the American football team's quarterback.

"So! I think it's safe ta get the whole diploma thing started, yeah?" Renji continued, oblivious to the glare coming from the head of the school.

Ichigo eyed Grimmjow from the corner of his eye when the teen laughed and clapped loudly.

"Hear, hear!" he shouted, his deep voice echoing throughout the auditorium.

Ichigo snorted, drawing the blue-haired teen's attention. "What?" Grimmjow asked.

"Nothin'."

Grimmjow smirked and turned back to the stage, but Ichigo felt like he was glowing and walking on a cloud. That smile did wondrous things to his mood. He shook his head, embarrassed at where his thoughts had ended up yet again. He had a feeling things would be this way for a long time, especially considering he and Grimmjow would be attending the same University. In fact, most of their friends would be going to Osaka for college. Ichigo was just anxious to leave Karakura and his crazy ass old man behind for a while. Sticking with his friends – mainly Grimmjow – was just a bonus.

The head of the school had begun calling names and Ichigo watched as Grimmjow's name was finally announced. Grimmjow slowly stood and swaggered to the stage, his height and muscular stature overwhelming to everyone that followed his progress. Ichigo sighed and absently climbed to his feet as his friends erupted into applause and did the same.

Being in love was going to be hell on his college life.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**First Year University**

Grimmjow lugged his suitcase into his new dorm room and plopped it onto one of the twin sized beds. The one against the left side of the room. He made a slow circle, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, then inhaled deeply. The smell of fresh paint and new furniture assaulted his senses. Everything was so new. So refreshing. He was excited to start college, especially since he'd been recruited by the school's head football coach. One, Sosuke Aizen. The brunet was so far from what Grimmjow had imagined, but in a sense, he was grateful for the change. Dealing with Kenpachi had been OK in high school, but for college, Grimmjow didn't think he would be able to put up with the same kind of attitude.

He went back into the hall and picked up the first of two cardboard boxes that contained a few more of his personal effects. Posters, bed stuff and hygiene products, mostly. The room had come equipped with a mini fridge (surprisingly), and Grimmjow's mother had promised to drop off a microwave when he'd settled in. After that, he'd be ready to meet his roommate. As it stood, he had no idea who that person would be, even though most of his friends had also decided to attend the same school. Grimmjow grimaced, annoyed. Some surprises were good, even enjoyable, but some weren't. He really hoped he wouldn't have to share the next four years with someone like Renji or Szayel. Don't get him wrong, they were both cool people; he just didn't think he could deal with Renji's loudness, or Szayel's ridiculous study habits. The pink-haired teen was a hell of a quarterback, but when it came to hanging out or just winding down and taking time to relax, Szayel didn't seem to know then meaning.

Grimmjow carried both his boxes into the room and set them on the long dresser by his bed. He dug into the first one, removing one set of bed linens he'd brought along so he could make his new bed. The mattress was naked and lonely, but he would fix that. Once he'd dressed the bed with a dark-blue sheet set and comforter, he went back to his boxes and dug through the second one. He removed his cleaning things, then headed for the bathroom connected to the room. Thankfully, they didn't have to share bathrooms with an entire floor; only roommates had to endure having someone else in their personal bathing space.

Grimmjow placed his toothbrush in the ceramic holder connected to the wall over the sink, then added bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash to the shower caddy. That done, he left the bathroom, grabbed a few towels and rags from the box the bed linen had come in, and tossed them into the dresser. Next was his large suitcase. Only the clothes he could still fit had made the trip with him as well as the abundance of sneakers he owned. His mother had scolded him, telling him it was absolutely unnecessary to bring so many pairs of "tennis shoes" with him to college, but what could he say? He loved sneakers almost as much as he loved football. He had grown an intense love for them after his move to America and since his uncle had spared no expense when it had come to his upbringing, he'd been lucky enough to be able to indulge. However, since his feet had grown so quickly, he'd never managed to hang onto a pair longer than a year. Currently, he had ten pairs of sneakers. Most of them Nike Jordans. The rest were either Nike Air Force Ones or Chucks.

Sneakers and clothes safely put away in the closet (he hoped his roommate didn't need a lot of closet space), he went back to his bed and lay on his stomach. Classes weren't scheduled to begin until the next day, so Grimmjow basically had a free day. Waking up early had taken its toll on him, though, so he would take a nap until his roommate arrived.

He hoped the guy wasn't a geek.

**XxxxxX**

Grimmjow edged into consciousness, eyes still closed, but the unmistakable feeling of being watched penetrating the haze of sleep. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing straight up and he strangely felt exposed. He was still laying on his stomach, head resting on his folded arms and legs hanging off the end of the bed. He slowly cracked open his eyes and nearly rolled off the bed in shock. Whiskey brown eyes were peering into his face from only two inches away.

"What the fuck?" he shouted.

Those eyes backed away and Grimmjow was able to recognize the person they belonged to. Not that it would have been necessary; Grimmjow could recognize Ichigo's eyes anywhere. Ichigo was laughing as he took a step back.

"You shoulda seen your face."

"Shut up," Grimmjow grumbled as he sat up and fixed himself Indian-styled on the bed. After rubbing a hand through his hair, he glared at his best friend. "What the hell are you doin' here?"

Ichigo dropped a cardboard box onto the empty twin-sized bed on the other side of the room, then turned back to Grimmjow. "I'm your roommate, stupid."

Grimmjow's face went slack. What? "Come again."

"Idiot," Ichigo sighed before going back to the box he'd dropped on the bed. "Wake up an' help me bring this other stuff in here."

"What other stuff?"

"I got like four more boxes in the hallway."

Grimmjow frowned as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "What the fuck didja leave behind? Sounds like ya brought yer whole room witcha."

Ichigo turned to him with a cute scowl. "Just get yer ass outta bed and help me."

Grimmjow's frown disappeared as he realized what was happening. _Ichigo_ was his roommate. His _best friend_ would be living in close quarters with him for the next four years. What the hell had he done to deserve such good luck? Whatever it was, he wanted to do it again. Maybe he'd get a car next.

He climbed from the bed and followed the orange-haired teen out to the hall, where four, large boxes were stacked against the wall. "Jesus Christ, Ichigo. Where ya gonna put all this crap?"

"Hey! Don't call my stuff 'crap', jerk!"

Ichigo had an arm full of cardboard box, so Grimmjow decided to follow suit, grabbing one and hefting it into the room. His frown was back when he registered the weight of the thing.

"What the hell? Ya sure yer not smugglin' a body?"

Ichigo sucked his teeth as he set another box on his bed. "What? All that muscle an' you're complainin' about one measly box? What a waste."

Grimmjow dropped the box he held onto Ichigo's bed and pushed the other boy lightly on the shoulder. Or at least he'd meant to. Ichigo listed to the side, losing his balance for the briefest of moments before catching himself and coming back with a sharp jab to Grimmjow's left arm. Shocked, all Grimmjow could do was laugh as he rubbed the spot Ichigo had abused. The boy hit hard, but it wasn't enough to make him say "Ow."

"What was that?" he teased.

Ichigo, deep frown on his face, turned away and dug into one of the boxes on the bed. "Asshole," he grumbled, lips pulled into an adorable pout.

Grimmjow chuckled as he watched Ichigo pull a sea-green comforter and matching sheet set from the box. Ichigo was funny, not to mention cute when he threw a tantrum. Then Grimmjow realized that Ichigo had no intentions of going to get the rest of his things from the hall, since his back was facing Grimmjow and he was still rooting through the box on his bed.

"Hey. Ya know ya still got boxes out there, right?" Grimmjow asked carefully.

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder at him and smirked. "Could ya get those for me?"

"What? What am I, your maid?"

"Haha! That's a nice visual, Grimm. Remember, you said it. Not me."

Grimmjow frowned again and stomped past his friend...but not without giving the teen a nice shove from behind as he went by. Ichigo fell over the box he'd been digging through, unable to catch himself in time. Cackling, Grimmjow sauntered into the hall, but stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the dark-haired teen about to knock on the door.

"What?" he growled, hands curling into fists involuntarily.

The raven-haired guy smirked and leaned against the door frame. "I don't remember asking for you."

Grimmjow was about to take a step closer and put the other boy out of his misery, when Ichigo appeared at his elbow.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to peek around Grimmjow's body.

"Don't tell me he's goin' here too?" Grimmjow asked without moving or allowing Ichigo to see past him.

"Who, dumbass? You're not made of glass, ya know!"

"Hey, babe. I was just checkin' on ya before I left for Tokyo. Kensei told me that you were goin' ta school here, so I wanted ta see ya."

Grimmjow felt Ichigo's entire aura change the minute he recognized the dark-haired teen standing in the doorway. He didn't even have to look around to know that Ichigo was uncomfortable. Grimmjow on the other hand, couldn't keep his anger from rising. For some reason, he just didn't like this Shuuhei character.

"Oh, um...OK," Ichigo stumbled over his words.

Grimmjow sucked his teeth and shoved the dark-haired boy aside so he could get to the rest of Ichigo's boxes. He didn't have time for an arrogant, demanding prick such as the one standing by the door, glaring at him like he wanted to do something. After Grimmjow lifted the last two of the boxes, he turned to head back into the room, only to notice that Shuuhei had his hands balled into tight fists at his sides. His face was red and his nostrils flared.

Grimmjow snorted a laugh. "What? Ya wanna leap, little froggy?"

"Grimm," Ichigo said quietly, his eyes serious.

They stared at each other for a few beats before Grimmjow sucked his teeth again and brushed past. "Whatever," he grunted.

He trudged over to Ichigo's bed and watched with fire in his eyes as the orange-haired boy stepped out of the room and closed the door behind himself. Grimmjow dropped the boxes and stormed to the bathroom, angry with himself for being so pissed. Ichigo was his _best friend_. So what if Grimmjow had figured out that Ichigo liked him in more than just a friendly manner. That wasn't going to change the fact that they were friends first, never mind how much Grimmjow was starting to wish otherwise.

XOXOXO

Ichigo sighed as he leaned against the wall outside of his new dorm room. After forcing Renji to trade rooms with him, he'd been floating on cloud nine. Especially after walking into the room and finding Grimmjow already there, lying on his stomach and exposing his tempting backside. Not that he'd been naked, of course, but just the shape of the blue-haired boy's bottom was enough to give Ichigo dirty thoughts.

Even after he'd leaned over Grimmjow and stared him awake, he'd been happy as hell. Then, Grimmjow had opened those atmospheric blue eyes, still sleepy and too sexy for his own good, and Ichigo had had to forcefully stifle the urge to close the space between their faces. Being this close to Grimmjow for the next four years would be harder than being away from him had been, but Ichigo was sure he'd be able to endure.

Well, almost sure, anyway.

After burying his disquieting feelings, Ichigo had bickered with his best friend like he normally did. Things had seemed to be going well. And then, Shuuhei had appeared. No forewarning, no nothing. Ichigo had been ecstatic (as bad as that sounded) to be able to get away from the dark-haired boy, knowing that Shuuhei was attending college in Tokyo, so for Shuuhei to show up in Osaka was disturbing. Ichigo couldn't figure out what the boy wanted, especially since they had mutually agreed to dissolve the arrangement they'd made in high school. There was nothing for them to discuss. They could still hang out, but Ichigo wouldn't allow himself to have sex with Shuuhei. His heart belonged to someone else, and even if it was a case of unrequited love, he was fine with that. He could handle the occasional one-night stand or tryst, but as far as something similar to what he and Shuuhei had shared in high school? No. He didn't want anyone to get serious about him because he didn't want feelings involved.

"What are you doin' here?" he asked the other teen.

Shuuhei shrugged carelessly, his face pulling into a condescending sneer. "You forgot this in my car."

Ichigo looked down at Shuuhei's hand and frowned. He didn't remember leaving his old notebook in Shuuhei's car, especially since Shuuhei hadn't bought his car until a month before high school graduation.

"Thanks," he said as he absently flipped through it. He paused at the last few pages and stared, the blood draining from his face. When the fuck had he written that? He glanced up at Shuuhei and scowled. "Did I really leave this in your car? Or did you take it from my bag?"

Shuuhei gave a shark grin and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I take it you figured me out."

"Why would you take my notebook?"

"I noticed that you wrote in that one a lot and I was curious. I could never get the truth from you, so maybe I could find it in there. And man, did I. I knew there was a reason you never took me as seriously as I took you."

"Fuck you, Shuuhei," Ichigo growled, angry at his loss of privacy.

Shuuhei had crossed the line, poking his nose where it didn't belong. No one had a right to see what was written in that notebook. No one.

"Been there, done that, Ichigo, remember?" Shuuhei said.

Ichigo stared at Shuuhei like the guy had lost his mind, and truthfully, Ichigo was beginning to think he had. "What's your problem? Comin' here like this."

"I bet you thought I'd never find out how you really feel about your so-called _best friend_. Bet you thought you could keep me in the dark and get away scott-free, huh?"

Ichigo shook his head in amusement, the hand holding the notebook lowering to his side. Shuuhei was being completely obnoxious. Ichigo could understand how the boy probably felt slighted, like his feelings had been stepped on, but Ichigo had never made any promises to Shuuhei. In fact, _Shuuhei_ had gone against the grain, catching feelings where there were supposed to be none. It wasn't like Ichigo had misled him...that much. Yeah, he'd been selfish, having sex with the guy knowing that Shuuhei was taking things way too seriously. That had been Ichigo's fault and he would accept the blame for that. However, he wasn't about to sit back and let Shuuhei walk all over him.

"Does it really matter now?" Ichigo asked. Shuuhei went silent, but his eyes were heated. "I mean, my old man told me when you look for dirt, you'll find it. Or something like that. The point is, you had no right rooting through my shit like you owned it. You went lookin for trouble and you found it, so why the fuck are you so mad at _me_?"

Before Ichigo could even blink or take his next breath, Shuuhei shoved him roughly against the wall. Ichigo's back hit hard and knocked the air from his lungs, making him blink and stare at the dark-haired boy distantly. What the hell? Shuuhei was right up in his face, teeth bared and eyes flashing like lightning. All Ichigo could do was stare some more, shocked.

"Who the hell do you think you are, huh?" Shuuhei snarled. Ichigo frowned and started to speak, but was cut off. "You think it's OK to play with people's feelings like that? How 'bout I play with yours? How 'bout I tell you that you're never going to have that blue bastard the way you really want him? Ya wouldn't like that, would ya?"

Ichigo didn't know what to say. Somewhere down the line, he'd miscalculated exactly how much Shuuhei had begun feeling for him. Ichigo had never taken it that seriously since he'd felt that after explaining to Shuuhei their arrangement, the boy would never take it further than that. He'd been wrong as hell, apparently. But he was no pussy that would stand aside and let Shuuhei shove him around like a carrot stick on a plate.

Ichigo scowled and forced his hands between himself and the irate raven-haired male. Shuuhei pressed closer, not allowing him any other movement and essentially pinning him against the cold wall. Ichigo hated to admit that he'd been caught off guard, unable to properly defend himself, but there it was.

"You know, Ichigo, I really thought you were better than this," Shuuhei said quietly, the heat in his voice dissolving. "I didn't think you had it in you to fuck around with people's emotions. Especially not mine. I guess I was stupid. I had the impression that you actually liked me."

Ichigo lowered his gaze to the other boy's chest, guilt swelling his lungs. Why did Shuuhei have to come and make him feel like shit for following his heart? That wasn't very fair. But life wasn't fair and Ichigo knew that firsthand.

"So, what did you expect me to do? Fuck you, but...but love someone else? Would you have been alright with that?" Ichigo snapped, remembering that all of this wasn't his fault.

Shuuhei froze, his coal-colored eyes confused. "What are you talking about? You didn't write anything about love."

"I didn't know at the time," Ichigo snorted. "I kinda just figured that part out, thank you very fucking much."

Shuuhei still had Ichigo hemmed up against the wall and it was making him severely uncomfortable. Ichigo didn't like feeling like he was trapped, especially not physically, let alone emotionally. His shoulder blades were digging into the cement wall and his temper was steadily rising. But what could he do in this position?

"You didn't feel anything at all for me, did you?" Ichigo shook his head, remorseful. He hated hurting the boy's feelings, but he'd _told_ him they were just messing around. "Damn."

"Look, Shuu, I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. I can't change how I feel, just like you can't change how _you_ feel."

There was a brief silence before it was shattered in the worst way.

"One."

Ichigo jumped, his eyes widening. _This is bad._

"Two."

Shuuhei glanced over his shoulder at the new voice, a frown pulling his eyebrows together, but Ichigo didn't even need to look to know that things were going to get super ugly in a few seconds if Shuuhei didn't do the logical thing and back the fuck away. The way the scene looked to an outside party was pretty bad. It looked like Shuuhei was threatening Ichigo with bodily harm.

"Three."

Ichigo sucked in a breath. "I think you should let me go, Shuuhei. Ya know? Just to be safe," he suggested.

Shuuhei turned back to him, still wearing a confused frown, but Ichigo was more concerned with the volatile being behind Shuuhei. Looming. Knuckles cracking and face positively fierce. Voice just this side of human.

"Four."

"If he gets to five, it's gonna be really bad," Ichigo persisted.

He really didn't want someone's death on his hands.

Unfortunately, Grimmjow didn't even wait until he got to five before he grabbed the back of Shuuhei's collar and yanked him away from Ichigo. The dark-haired teen's eyes went round as he scrabbled for purchase, but to no avail. The next thing Ichigo knew, his and Shuuhei's positions were reversed, except this time, Shuuhei had a very menacing issue towering over him, keeping him pressed to the wall.

Grimmjow had one forearm tight against Shuuhei's throat, blocking any chance of escape, or hope of fighting back. One false move and Shuuhei's windpipe would go bye-bye. When Ichigo took the time to observe his best friend's face, he was surprised to find that Grimmjow actually looked terrifying. His blue eyes were glacial, the bridge of his nose wrinkled and lips pulled back in a snarl so ferocious, one could have mistaken him for an animal. His hair was hanging over his brow, almost covering his eyes since he hadn't taken the time to whip it into shape yet, and it just made him look even wilder. The fact that all he was wearing was a white, sleeveless shirt and black basketball shorts did nothing to lessen the danger hovering over him like a thunder cloud.

"Touch him again. I _dare_ you," Grimmjow growled like a dog.

His mouth had barely moved, hardly letting the words slip past, but what he'd said had been clear as a glass of water to both Ichigo and Shuuhei. Shuuhei was no pushover, but the look on his face was smart in Ichigo's opinion. The state Grimmjow was in was purely savage. Unpredictable. There was no telling what he would do if Shuuhei even _thought_ about _breathing_ the wrong way, let alone saying or trying to do something.

Ichigo took a step forward, kind of afraid to touch or talk to his own best friend, but he knew he was the only one that could calm the blue-haired boy down.

Still...

Shuuhei blinked and Grimmjow's jaw jumped. Ichigo held his breath. What the hell was Grimmjow going to do? Was he going to beat Shuuhei like a dirty rug? Or let him go?

"If you _ever_. _Ever_. Put your hands on him again, I'll kill you. Understand?" Shuuhei nodded slowly like a meek adolescent, eyes never leaving Grimmjow's face. Grimmjow growled again, but this time let Shuuhei go with a rough shove. "Get the fuck outta here."

Shuuhei scowled, but did as Grimmjow ordered. Ichigo watched in awe as the dark-haired teen walked away, one hand in his pocket, the other running through his short, spiky hair. Ichigo had chills. He'd _never_ seen Grimmjow look so scary in his life, not even when they'd had their argument back in high school and it had seemed like Grimmjow was about to hit him.

Ichigo cautiously approached the taller boy, who was currently running a hand through his own hair, back still turned to Ichigo. Grimmjow's shoulders heaved as he took breath after deep breath. Ichigo came to stop right behind him and paused. What should he say? "Are you OK" didn't seem quite right, but that was all Ichigo could come up with.

Tentatively, he lay a hand on Grimmjow's left arm. Grimmjow froze, but didn't turn around to see what Ichigo wanted. Now that was confusing. Normally, Grimmjow was all for a confrontation, but here he seemed to be avoiding it. Ichigo arched a brow and stepped around his best friend in order to get a look at his face. When he did, he was floored. Grimmjow wore such a look of pain, it was disturbing. It actually made Ichigo panic.

"Hey," he started uncertainly. "Did you hurt your arm or something?" Grimmjow didn't respond. In fact, he didn't even move. "Hey, Grimm-"

"I wanted to kill him," Grimmjow finally said quietly, deep voice a hoarse croak.

Ichigo frowned. "Yeah, I could kinda tell that much," Ichigo joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Grimmjow ambushed Ichigo with his full gaze. "No, Ichigo. You don't get it. I-I...shit."

Ichigo _didn't_ get it. He understood that Grimmjow had been extremely pissed – frightfully so – but that didn't explain the boy's current behavior. Why was he acting like he'd committed a heinous crime?

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked.

Grimmjow had closed his eyes, but when Ichigo spoke, they opened again, bottomless and endlessly blue, slicing into Ichigo like a surgical tool. "I thought he was tryna hurt you."

Ichigo pressed his lips together. "We had a little scuffle, that's all."

"Tha's not what I saw. All I saw was yer face. Ya looked...panicked. Like ya couldn't move. Like he was hurtin' ya."

"Oh," Ichigo mumbled.

Ichigo got it now. Grimmjow had always been overprotective, even when they'd been younger, but he hadn't been able to fight for Ichigo back then the way he could now. Maybe this was his way of making up for lost time? Still, it didn't answer the question of why he was acting like he'd done something wrong. Grimmjow was cocky, teetering dangerously on arrogant, so for him to pass up the chance to boast about making Shuuhei cower like a branded cow was...strange. To say the least.

"Well, if that's the case, you don't have-"

"Ichigo, I almost _killed_ that guy. All I had ta do was press a _little_ harder to snap his fuckin' neck. And I wanted ta do it," Grimmjow interrupted, voice urgent and eyes desperate.

Ichigo gulped. _Oh._ That's why Grimmjow was behaving like a Catholic at confession. OK. Now, how to loosen the tension in the atmosphere? Ichigo studied Grimmjow's face and an idea came to him, making an evil grin curl his lips. He stood close enough to Grimmjow to be able to smell the subtle scent coming from him before lifting both hands and digging his fingers into the boy's ribs. Grimmjow jumped and glared down at Ichigo, but Ichigo moved behind him and got a good hold, tickling Grimmjow until he was forced into reluctant laughter.

The fall was slow, but steady, first starting with a smirk, then a grin, and not much later a wide smile. After that, Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's hands and tried to pry them away from his sides, but Ichigo was relentless. Yeah, Grimmjow was stronger than him, but he was determined to see his best friend happy again. He held on and wiggled his fingers along Grimmjow's flesh until Grimmjow was writhing in place, laughter erupting in deep barks.

"Stop! Alright! I give!"

"Nope!"

Ichigo was merciless. He continued tickling, immensely enjoying the way Grimmjow's back felt against his chest. He loved the sound of Grimmjow's laughter. He loved the way Grimmjow smiled, those riotous, multi-blue eyes crinkling in the corners. He would never get enough of it. Finally, Grimmjow managed to get a hold on Ichigo's wrists, yanking them forward until the grip went to Ichigo's arms. Ichigo panicked. He was caught now. Grimmjow tugged Ichigo around until they were chest to chest (almost anyway; Grimmjow was tall as hell) and Grimmjow was gasping and panting, trying to catch his breath from laughing so hard.

Ichigo smiled involuntarily at the up-close sight of Grimmjow's eyes that were still laughing, even though the taller teen was sending Ichigo a stern glare. "I hate that you know that," Grimmjow grumbled.

"It's my special attack for when you bug me."

"Oh, so yer sayin' I was buggin' ya?"

Ichigo smirked. "Yeah. All serious for no reason. That ain't like you, ya know?"

Grimmjow gave a sideways grin and lowered his forehead to Ichigo's, still holding onto Ichigo's arms, which only brought them closer. "Thanks, Ichigo."

"For what?"

"Understanding."

Ichigo frowned, still a bit confused, but decided to let it slide. Grimmjow was so close. Only a few more inches and they could be sharing much more than a friendly moment. But Grimmjow didn't need to know how Ichigo felt. It would surely ruin everything they were and he didn't want that. He was OK being Grimmjow's best friend as long as it meant he could stay by the other boy's side.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow breathed slowly, his heart racing and not just from the tickling assault Ichigo had just launched. No. It had to do with much more than that. After storming into the bathroom to calm his nerves from the untimely arrival of Ichigo's little boyfriend, he'd gone back into the dorm room and plopped onto his bed, still a little upset. He really didn't like that Shuuhei guy. He was forever butting in where he wasn't wanted or needed and it ticked Grimmjow off. He wished Ichigo would just tell the dude to fuck off and let him breathe, but he also knew that Ichigo was too nice for that. Ichigo would have to let the guy down easily, never mind if it made him uncomfortable in the process.

He'd just gotten himself situated when a loud thump had lifted him right back off the bed. He hadn't liked the sound of that, so he'd gone to the door and pressed his ear to it, curious and a lot upset. If that asshole had his hands on his Ichigo – well, his best friend – there would be hell to pay. And Grimmjow's kind of hell was never-ending.

" _You know, Ichigo, I really thought you were better than this."_ That had been that creep Shuuhei, his voice low and serious. _"I didn't think you had it in you to fuck around with people's emotions. Especially not mine. I guess I was stupid. I had the impression that you actually liked me."_

Grimmjow hadn't understood what the hell had been happening, but he'd damned sure been intent on finding out.

" _So, what did you expect me to do? Fuck you, but...but love someone else? Would you have been alright with that?"_

Grimmjow had pulled away from the door then, his heart falling to his knees. He didn't know why, but it had and the feeling had left him reeling. Love? Who the hell did Ichigo love? Grimmjow gritted his teeth, feeling distinctly like a fool. How could he have even thought for a second that Ichigo liked him? Here was the proof that Ichigo really only considered Grimmjow a friend and nothing more. What was more, why did it sting so much? Why did the knowledge of Ichigo being in love with someone tear him up so much?

He hadn't had the heart to listen in on the conversation going on outside the door after that, but he had been concerned about whether that Shuuhei asshole had his paws on Ichigo. Grimmjow wouldn't allow that, regardless of the fact that Ichigo's heart belonged to someone else. He'd opened the door, thoughts stuck on who the hell the mystery guy could be if it wasn't Shuuhei, when he'd seen Ichigo plastered to the wall, Shuuhei aggressively holding him hostage. Ichigo's eyes had been wide, not fearful, but definitely filled with panic. It was no secret between Grimmjow and Ichigo that Ichigo wasn't a fan of small spaces and that included being trapped between a body and an unyielding wall.

After that, things had rolled smoothly downhill. Grimmjow hadn't even realized he'd been counting until he'd heard Ichigo speak. By then, he'd already been at four. Violence had been the only thing on his mind once he'd registered Shuuhei looking at him like _he_ had no right to be there. He vaguely remembered getting Shuuhei away from Ichigo as quickly and roughly as possible, but then, with shocking clarity, Shuuhei's frightened face had been swimming before his eyes. That was where he'd forced himself to calm down. He'd been so close to killing the other boy, it'd been scary.

With a well-placed threat to do just that, Grimmjow had sent the other boy on his way. If he'd allowed Shuuhei to stick around, he really would have been tempted to kick his ass all up and down the dorm hallway. Shuuhei had wisely toddled off in the other direction and that was when the severity of what Grimmjow had been about to do had hit him. Luckily, Ichigo had been there to ease him out of his self-induced slump.

No one other than Ichigo knew that Grimmjow was ticklish. No one _needed_ to know that, either. It was one of his hated weaknesses that Ichigo took advantage of whenever the need moved him. But Grimmjow couldn't really say he hated it when Ichigo tickled him. In fact, if he was completely honest with himself, he would have to say that he liked it. If it made the orange-haired teen laugh, then Grimmjow was all for it.

Now, however, he was regretting his acceptance of it. He'd made the mistake of getting too close to Ichigo and was currently paying for it. Ichigo always smelled good, but for some reason he smelled extra nice today. Like clean clothes, soap and shampoo. It was distracting. Grimmjow closed his eyes, trying to ignore the way Ichigo felt against his chest. He wasn't supposed to feel that way for his best friend. His best friend who was in love with someone. Grimmjow wanted to ask who it was, but then that would alert Ichigo to the fact that he'd been eavesdropping.

Shit.

He slowly backed away and opened his eyes, carefully studying the shorter boy. Ichigo looked up at him, warm brown eyes full of amusement.

"What's up?" he asked.

Grimmjow shrugged nonchalantly and turned back to their room. "Nothin'," he lied. "Want me ta help ya finish unloadin' yer room?"

"You mean my stuff, right?"

"No. I mean yer room. Looks like ya brought all of Karakura witcha."

Ichigo punched him on the arm and chuckled, but Grimmjow felt the pressing urge to sulk. Why was Ichigo being in love with someone bothering him so much? It was getting on his nerves.

 _Because it's not you,_ his conscience supplied.

Grimmjow stopped in his tracks, his eyes going a little wide as he stared at the wall near his bed. _What...now?_ His body went numb as he stood mannequin-still, trying to make sense of what was going through his mind. He didn't even feel it when Ichigo ran into his back, or when Ichigo came around him and touched his arm in concern. He only registered the other boy's presence when he looked down and saw Ichigo staring up at him, eyebrow cocked and head tilted to the side.

"Hey, Grimm, you sure you're OK?" Ichigo asked.

His voice sounded like he was under water.

Grimmjow nodded stiffly, unable to pry his eyes away from his best friend. What was going on? His heart was losing it and his stomach was _so hot_. Like fiery steel rods sliding around in his gut. Ichigo moved closer and it made Grimmjow panic and take an unsteady step back. He couldn't let Ichigo get too close to him right now. He didn't know what was going on with his own body, and he wasn't sure what he would do if Ichigo even brushed against him the wrong way.

Grimmjow covered his mouth with the back of his hand, stunned. Was that really why he was so upset about Ichigo loving someone? Because it wasn't him? But why? That didn't make sense. He should be happy for his best friend for finding someone he liked enough to love and care about. He should be _happy_ , dammit. A strange crawling sensation at the back of his throat made him clench his teeth together, his jaw tight. When the backs of his eyes started stinging involuntarily, he swallowed a gasp and turned away from Ichigo's concerned sepia eyes.

He had to go for a walk or something. _Anything._ He just needed to be away from Ichigo so he could figure out what was going on with his emotions.

"Hey," Ichigo said softly, deep voice this shy of panicking. "What happened? Did I do somethin'?"

Grimmjow took a deep breath, but that just served to push him over whatever ledge he'd been standing on. Turning on his heel, he hurriedly stalked to the door and threw it open.

"I'll be back," he tossed over his shoulder before closing the door.

As soon as he stepped into the hall, his feet kicked into gear. Before long, he was sprinting towards the locker room in the next building, his stomach clawing at him. His long legs ate up the distance in no time, so he reached the thankfully empty locker room in less than two minutes. Once inside, he stumbled into one of the shower stalls and backed into a corner. He lowered himself to the floor and covered his face with his hands. What the fuck was wrong with him? He'd never reacted that way to _anything_ dealing with Ichigo. Sure, he got pissed, even sad, but never...never _this_! Whatever this was. Air was a thing of the past apparently since whenever he tried to breathe, it hurt. Everything hurt. Everything was in an uproar.

He sniffed, then paused. Why was he sniffing? He let his hands drop to his raised knees and held his breath at the sight of moisture on his palms. Tears? When had he started crying? Never mind that. Why was he crying to begin with?

Fuck.

Well, now was the time to think, right? He'd wanted to get away from Ichigo to do so, and now he had. So, why the hell was he tripping? His thoughts went to Ichigo. His best friend was in love with someone. Grimmjow automatically grimaced. That seemed to be the root of his all of his discomfort, and when he'd asked himself why just a moment ago, his heart's response had made him panic.

_Because it's not you._

But why would that bother him? Ichigo was his best friend. His brother. Ichigo _did_ love him, just not romantically. Again, a slab of hurt slid across his chest like sandpaper over an open wound. _Why, dammit?_ Grimmjow stared down at his feet and clenched his hands into tight fists. Did he _want_ Ichigo to love him like that? Was that why any thoughts of otherwise had his stomach in knots and his heart twisting like ivy?

Grimmjow leaned his head back against the cold, ceramic wall of the shower stall and closed his eyes. Concerned brown eyes and soft, bright orange hair filled his subconscious. A deep, husky voice, lilting with laughter filled his senses. The scent that belonged only to Ichigo accompanied everything else and made him think about the way Ichigo felt against him whenever they hugged. When Grimmjow had been sleeping beside him. He thought about how happy it made him to see Ichigo smile. See him laugh. He thought about how just the thought of someone harming Ichigo made him terribly violent.

Grimmjow bit his bottom lip and ran a hand through his hair before gripping his bangs, fresh tears slipping from under his shut lids. Christ. No wonder he was so fucked up. He opened his eyes and absently stared at the opposite side of the shower stall.

_I'm in love with my best friend._


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Something was wrong with Grimmjow. Ichigo didn't know what it was, but he was hell-bent on finding out. Of course, there were times when his best friend just didn't want to be bothered, but that didn't explain the boy's sudden distance. His sudden avoidance. It was like after the day Shuuhei had come by and Grimmjow had confronted him, everything had gone into the crapper between them. Everything pissed the blue-haired teen off, everything made him snap at Ichigo, when in Ichigo's opinion, none of it was _ever_ that serious. Come on, they argued over his toothbrush being in the wrong hole in the holder. What the fuck was up with _that_? There was definitely something Grimmjow was keeping inside and that wasn't right. After all the times his best friend had forced him into spilling his guts, the guy had no right _not_ talking about whatever was bothering him. It made Ichigo more than angry just thinking about it.

He sat forward on his bed and pulled his sneakers on before rising and glaring at his best friend's empty bed. Grimmjow hadn't really been sleeping in the room much the past couple of days and that irked him too. He just wished he knew what was going on; that way, he could fix it. As things stood, however, he didn't have a clue where to start. And he'd been so happy about getting that idiot red head to switch rooms with him, thinking he'd be able to spend more time with the blue-haired boy. Now, he was starting to wish he hadn't. He was sure his original roommate wouldn't have been as troublesome, even if he didn't know who the person was.

He grabbed his duffel bag from the bed and started for the door, when it swung open, making him jump back in order to dodge it. Grimmjow paused and stared at him for a beat before stumbling sleepily over to his bed and collapsing onto it.

_What the hell?_

Ichigo turned to face the boy and frowned. Grimmjow hadn't even said a word to him. Was that how things were going to be between them from now on? Deciding to quit beating around the bush, he went over to the blue-haired asshole and hit his broad shoulder.

"Huhn?" Grimmjow grunted, face buried in his pillows.

"Is there a reason you're not speaking to me?" Ichigo snapped.

Grimmjow sluggishly picked his head up and glared in his direction. "The fuck're you talkin' about?"

"I know you heard me, and there's no _mystery_ to what I said. You don't even _sleep_ in here anymore, let alone _talk_ to me. I thought we were best friends, Grimm? Did that change without me knowin' or somethin'?"

Grimmjow sat up and stared at him, those piercing blue depths softening. He sighed and ran a large hand through his hair.

"It ain't like that, Ichigo. I'm jus' stressed."

Ichigo edged closer, but his frown remained in place. "Well, that's why I'm here. You're supposed to tell me when somethin's botherin' you. Don't you make me do that all the time?"

"Yeah, yer right. Sorry," the other boy mumbled, eyes on his long legs.

"Tch, whatever. I'm leavin'. I'll be back later."

With that, Ichigo left their dorm room, not even taking the time to look back. Did Grimmjow _really_ think that would suffice as an apology? As an excuse? The idiot hadn't even explained why he'd been treating Ichigo of all people so coldly, and it rubbed him the wrong way. Now _he_ didn't feel like talking to the guy. He was halfway down the hall towards the building's exit, when his name was shouted, making him jump and look around for the fool screaming. Of course, when he did turn, he wasn't surprised to find Renji loping towards him. All he could do was inwardly sigh.

"What?" he grumbled, mood sour.

"Well, what the hell did I do ta you?" the red head asked incredulously, tattooed eyebrows hiding beneath the white bandana he wore.

Instantly feeling bad for taking his foul mood out on Renji, he shook his head. "It's not you, Renji."

"Ahhh. A lover's spat, then?"

"Don't say that."

Although Renji did possess an abundance of idiotic tendencies, there were times when the boy was scarily acute. Like now, for instance.

"I noticed the Jolly Blue Giant's been in a nasty mood lately. Somethin' happen?"

Ichigo sighed, but shrugged helplessly. "Of course somethin' happened. Somethin's always happening with us, only this time, he won't even tell me what it is. It's fuckin' annoying."

"Sooo, ya wanna fill me in? Kinda lost here."

"That's what I'm tryna tell you!" Ichigo shouted, frustrated. "I don't even know what the problem is myself, so how the hell am I s'posed ta tell you?"

"This is disappointin'. I was hopin' the two of ya would be paired up by the end of this semester. Guess I was wrong," Renji said dejectedly as he ran a hand through his wild ponytail. Then his face suddenly brightened. "Wait! When did Blue start trippin'?"

Ichigo frowned, lips forming a thin line. He knew, of course. It was only a matter of whether he wanted Renji – the epic fail of a matchmaker – to know about the incident with Shuuhei. Then again, he had to admit, Renji managed to provide little nuggets of wisdom that surprised the hell out of him with their accuracy. Maybe telling the loud red head about that day wouldn't be so bad after all. Ichigo shifted his weight and studied the floor. Where should he start?

"Ya might as well spill it, 'cuz I ain't goin' nowhere 'til ya do."

"Fine," Ichigo mumbled. His eyes darted back and forth from the floor to Renji's scowling face as he decided on a nice beginning point. "Did you know Shuuhei came here a few days ago?"

The other boy's face fell and his shoulders sagged. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, he came here talkin' shit to me and Grimmjow kind of...saw it."

"That doesn' tell me much, ya know?"

Ichigo huffed and looked away defiantly, but Renji's resulting foot tapping made him shake his head and sigh. "Fine! Ya want details. Shuuhei came by when I was moving into the dorm and we talked in the hallway. He said he wanted to say goodbye before he left for Tokyo, but he ended up throwing in my face that he knew about how I feel about Grimmjow."

"How the hell did he find out? I thought ya broke it off wit' him."

"He stole my fuckin' notebook! I had some personal shit in there and he read it. Then, he got all pissed and a bit carried away."

Renji frowned, russet eyes darkening. "Meaning?"

Ichigo had forgotten that even though Renji was a clown, he was also a friend, and his loyalty went above and beyond. If he thought Shuuhei had done something to hurt Ichigo, his reaction wouldn't be far from Grimmjow's. Maybe not as intense, but definitely as scary.

"He, uh...he got mad and kinda hemmed me up against the wall. That's what Grimm saw. He went ape-shit after that."

"Hmm," Renji hummed as he rubbed his hairless chin. "Then what happened?"

"Well, Grimm made Shuuhei leave, but he was shaken up 'cuz he literally almost killed the guy. I got him out of his funk for a second, but then he ran off like he'd seen a ghost or something. It was confusing, but ever since that happened, he's been acting like an asshole."

Renji hummed again and quirked his lips. "I'll ask him what his problem is."

"What? No, don't do that! I don't want him thinkin-"

"Shut up, Ichigo," the red head drawled with a wide, crooked grin. "I got more style than that."

Ichigo didn't really think so, but let the subject drop. It was pointless arguing with Renji when he was in one of his eerily determined moods. Grinding his teeth and hating his predicament, he shrugged, hiding the fact that he was worried out of his mind that his friend would give him away to Grimmjow. That would be disastrous. Then again, he had to give Renji a _little_ bit of leeway. He'd kept Ichigo's secret for this long, so there was no reason to suspect the guy of spilling the beans now.

"Well, I'm off. I'll conduct my interrogation and give ya the results later, Ich," Renji declared before ambling away in the other direction.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck and grinned, memories swallowing him up. He couldn't help vividly recalling the day Renji had knocked him out of his denial.

_Ichigo stared at Renji, heart hammering and chest hurting like someone had stabbed him with a hot poker._

" _What'd you just say ta me?"_

_Renji gave his infamously wicked grin and ran a hand through his ponytail. "I said, you and Blue are in love with each other. It's the loud kind of obvious, Ich."_

_Ichigo shook his head, unable to digest what he'd just heard. The loud red head had to be mistaken. Right? He stared at the other teen, eyes wide and face slack. The more he thought about it, though, the more it began to make sense to him. Whenever Grimmjow came around him, whenever the blue-haired teen talked to him – hell when the boy talked in general – it almost sent him into cardiac arrest. He felt ridiculously old school, like Grimmjow's presence immediately gave him a case of the vapors. It was ludicrous. But it also made Ichigo's shoulders sag with relief. Even though the thought of being in love with his best friend was scary as hell, it also felt good knowing why he'd been reacting to the boy the way he had._

_He turned a curious gaze to his red-haired friend and tilted his head to the side. "When did you know?"_

_Renji scoffed and folded his arms over his chest. "Soon as I saw the two a'ya tagether. You should see yer faces when ya look at each other. Like I said, it's obvious."_

" _Uh, w-who else knows?"_

" _I think Tatsuki knows too, but tha's about it. No, wait. Maybe Chado too."_

_Ichigo grimaced and looked away. It seemed like he was the only one that hadn't known, which was sad. A sudden thought occurred to him and made him glance at the red head in a panic._

" _You didn't tell him, did you?"_

_All Renji did was arch a tattooed brow in response._

" _Please tell me you didn't."_

" _What if I did?"_

_Ichigo's face paled as his mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"_

_The idiot couldn't keep a straight face and ended up bursting into laughter. Ichigo frowned, confused. He didn't catch the joke, but figured remaining silent would get him the answers he wanted._

" _I won' give ya away. But ya gotta promise me that yer not gonna be in denial anymore. Do ya admit ya love Blue?"_

_Ichigo paused and took a deep breath. Thinking it was one thing; admitting it aloud was another. Once he took that leap, there was no going back. He couldn't just reach into the air and return his own words; life didn't work that way. Was he ready for that step? Was he ready to say those words to another person, let alone himself? He stared down at his sneakers, heart positively racing. Yeah, he thought. Whenever he thought about Grimmjow, his body temperature went up a few degrees and his heart would begin clamoring against his ribs. His hands went clammy and everything would start perspiring. Being around his blue-haired best friend meant more to him than anything else at the moment, and had been that way for some time. He'd just been too blind to notice it. Then again, it had been easy to confuse his feelings for a close friendship, considering that was all he and Grimmjow had ever been. Once the other boy had returned from America, however, things had changed. And it hadn't even been gradual, either. It had been like stepping off the sidewalk and getting slammed into by a mack truck: sudden and breathtaking._

" _Yeah, I do," he said quietly, confidently meeting Renji's russet gaze._

_Renji's lips curled into a strangely warm grin. "Good. An' another thing..."_

" _What?"_

" _Ya can't say shit about Tatsuki."_

_Ichigo frowned, confused at first, until he remembered that Renji had been crushing on the dark-haired girl for some time. Was it the same situation? He cocked his head to the side and gave the red head a devilish grin._

" _Oh yeaahhh," he drawled. "I almost forgot about that."_

_Renji made an "oh shit" face before masking it with a scowl. Ichigo knew what was coming next, but he refused to stick around for it. The red-haired teen had a habit of attacking when he was feeling particularly defensive. Ichigo turned on his heel and fled, unashamed and laughing the entire time. Renji was bigger than him, but he was nowhere near as fast, even if he did play American football. Even though the guy tried to catch up to him, it was futile. Ichigo was proud to say he was the fastest boy in their high school, and no amount of red-haired testosterone was going to take that title from him._

He adjusted the strap of his duffel bag and continued towards the gymnasium, mind still in a whirl. He couldn't understand what was going on with his best friend, and now he had to worry about what Renji was going to say to said best friend. It was enough to cause any normal person to have a stroke.

XOXOXO

"Why the hell didja bring me here again?"

"'Cuz ya needed ta get out and smell some fresh air, 'stead of moping around like the world's comin' ta an end while yer the richest man on Earth."

Grimmjow huffed, but followed his extremely tall friend into the lively American Football Club's house. The football club in University was like an American fraternity; only members and certain guests were given permission to attend any parties and events, and even then, entrance was granted by year. The only reason they were invited as first years was because they happened to be on the football team. Any other first year wouldn't have been allowed entrance unless they knew someone there. The front lawn was littered with students of both genders and empty red and blue plastic cups, indicating the party was already in full swing. Amazingly, the pathway to the porch was clear. He climbed the stairs and trooped through the open door, not enthusiastic in the least bit about being there. He'd had a mind to lounge around in Nnoitra's room like he'd been doing for the couple of days.

After coming to the realization that he was in love with his best friend, there had been no way he could face Ichigo. For one thing, he was embarrassed. For another, he was afraid. What if he lost control of himself and made a move on the orange-haired teen? Even worse, what if he confessed? His life would never be the same. He'd foolishly made the assumption that Ichigo liked him, only to be proven wrong when he'd discovered that his best friend was in love with someone already. He'd mistaken Ichigo's slightly odd behavior for something else. He had his arrogance to blame for that one, though. All the other boy had ever done was be kind to him and try to get used to being around him again. Grimmjow scowled and ran a hand over his face. There had been nothing different about Ichigo's behavior once he took into account that they'd been apart for seven years. A body bumped into him the second he entered the crowded house. When he looked for the offender, Grimmjow found Renji smiling up at him. The bridge of his nose and cheeks were flushed, but eyes devilish.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the Jolly Blue Giant in the flesh," he stated.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and started to move past the red head. "Beat it, Elmo."

"Wait," Renji hurried on as he gripped Grimmjow's elbow. "I gotta talk ta ya."

"Can't it wait? Now that I'm here, I kinda wanna get drunk."

"Hold that thought."

With that, the tipsy red head swerved his way through the crowd and disappeared into the kitchen. Grimmjow leaned against the wall, slightly annoyed at the delay. At first, he hadn't been in the mood to party, but now that he was here, it didn't make sense to sulk about. He was going to get good and wasted, then maybe find someone that could take his mind off his orange-haired best friend. The more he thought about the situation with Ichigo, the more stupid he felt. Ever since he'd met Ichigo, the boy had been nothing but nice to him, and that included the moments Ichigo felt especially affectionate. It didn't mean anything romantic. It just meant that Ichigo cared a great deal for him...as a best friend. As a brother.

Grimmjow sucked his teeth, tempted to find Renji and make him talk, just so he could get his drink on and shut down his mind. His teammate must have read his thoughts from the other room because he came sliding through the swarm of students, two large, blue plastic cups held above his head. Once he was beside him again, he passed one of the cups over, wide grin hooding his russet eyes.

"Here. Let's go somewhere quieter," he suggested.

Grimmjow shrugged as he accepted the cup and took a healthy swig. He'd gotten what he wanted, so he was agreeable to almost anything at the moment. Still...he wondered what was so important Renji had to pull him to the side to talk about it at a party. Normally, the red head partied hard enough for three people. They slipped through the crowd and headed for the back. There were a bunch of lounge chairs surrounding the long, rectangular pool, so they each grabbed one and took a seat. Even though the loud music followed them, it was lower than inside the house, making conversation more comfortable.

He glanced around, noting the couples making out, some going a little further than that. _That's what I need_ , Grimmjow thought. _If I just get laid, I won't have to worry about how I feel for Ichigo_. He drained his cup and set it down beside him, back at square one. He glared over at Renji, wondering why the guy was so quiet after urging him outside to talk. He was shocked to find the red head watching him carefully.

"Here ya go. I knew ya were gonna need more than one ta get ya started," Renji said as he handed over the other cup.

"Thanks," Grimmjow grumbled. He drank half of that cup before sighing and turning back to his teammate. "So, what's on yer mind?"

"Well," Renji started, folding his arms over his broad chest. "I'm kinda curious."

"About?"

"Why ya been acting like such a prick lately."

"I'm always a prick."

"That ain't necessarily true, either, JBG. You know that."

"Look, I don't know why everybody's so worried. I go through shit, just like all a'you guys. Right now, I'm going through some shit. Lemme deal with it the way I know how."

Renji cocked a tattooed brow, making it disappear beneath the white bandana he wore. His expression coupled with the way he seemed to stare right through him, made Grimmjow uncomfortable. He shifted on his chair and averted his gaze. Why did it feel like Renji knew something he shouldn't. The guy was too goofy to pay too much attention to the world around him...right?

"Sounds like you've got love issues, JBG."

He jumped and tried to hide the panic that was evident in his eyes, but didn't think he succeeded by the way the red head grinned at him.

"So, I'm right?" Renji continued.

"I dunno what yer talkin' 'bout."

"Ohh? I get it. People think I'm dumb 'cuz I take life a little less seriously than everyone else, but lemme clue ya in, JBG. I _ain't_ dumb. Matta fact, I know more than most people do. For instance, I know that Nnoitra reads sappy romance manga faithfully. I mean the kind where the chicks get all squealy about an indirect kiss, and fall in love in one friggin' day."

Grimmjow's eyebrows hit the sky in shock. Sure, _he_ knew about Nnoitra's secret because he'd been staying in his room the last couple of days. He'd been looking for something interesting to do, when he'd run across one of those sappy romance manga. Nnoitra had been out on a date, so he hadn't witnessed the discovery of his stash. The blue-haired boy had kept the incident to himself, but he would admit, whenever Nnoitra went off or got particularly tough with people, it made him inwardly chuckle. The guy was a closet romantic.

"Uh-huh," Renji went on with a sly smirk. "I also know that Szayel has OCD, which he sees a therapist for twice every week."

"Wha-?"

"Ever notice that he has ta turn the ball three times before he throws it? And that he rubs his hands together four times while he's waiting for the snap? Or even that he has to wash three times whenever he showers?"

He _had_ noticed, but had passed the actions off as weird quirks of the pink-haired quarterback's. It had never crossed his mind that Szayel actually had a disorder.

"Holy shit," he breathed quietly. "I never knew that."

"Yeah. I know somethin' 'bout everyone. People jus' take me for an idiot 'cuz I like ta have fun. But why ya think I took the tight end position? I coulda said no with my skills, but I didn't. I like bein' flexible and bein' in more than one position on the field. Gives me a chance ta observe where everyone is and what everyone's up to, ya know? Plus bein' on the offensive line is pretty fun. Anyway. I got off topic here. The point is: I'm more observant than people gimme credit for. That, and I also like ta think of myself of as a good friend. So when somethin's botherin' one of 'em, I wanna help if I can."

Grimmjow stared at Renji like the red head was a UFO. Unfortunately, he'd been one of those people underestimating the guy, so it struck hard hearing any form of logic coming from him. Especially in an intelligent manner. He licked his lips and glanced away, embarrassed. He hoped Renji wouldn't think any less of him for not being able to see the smart man beneath the clown mask. However...

"As cool as that is, Renji, I don't think you'll be able ta help me with my problem."

"Wanna talk about it at least?"

Did he? Would Renji run his mouth if Grimmjow decided to be honest with him and tell him the reason for his recent attitude? The red head turned in his direction with a serious expression for a change as if he knew what Grimmjow was thinking.

"Fine, but you can't say shit ta Ichigo, or anyone else fer that matter," he blurted. Those tattooed eyebrows went up, but the teen remained silent. He just gave a quick nod of acknowledgment. "So, alright. A little while back in high school, I kinda thought Ichigo liked me. Ya know, like had a crush on me and shit."

"Really? Why was that?"

"I don' know. I guess 'cuz whenever he was around me, he started actin' all shy and blushin' and bein' weird. Like a chick, ya know? I jus' assumed after that."

"Didja change yer mind er somethin'?"

Grimmjow sighed and ran the back of his hand across his mouth before speaking. "Yeah. Couple days ago, that asshole, Shuuhei, showed up at our room-"

"Oh, so you two are roommates?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, we are."

Renji smiled mysteriously and folded his arms behind his head as he leaned back in the lounge seat. "Imagine that."

Grimmjow frowned, but went on with his story. "So, anyway. Shuuhei pops up and starts botherin' Ichigo. I don't know all a'what was said, but I heard somethin' that made me change my mind about Ichigo liking me more than as a best friend."

"Which waaaaas?"

"He said he was already in love with someone."

Renji rolled his head in Grimmjow's direction, wearing a small frown. "Did he mention a name?"

"No. Well, if he did, I didn't hear it."

He was so focused on the cup in his hand, it took him a second to register Renji's exasperated face-palm.

"Idiot," the red head grumbled into his hand. Finally, he removed it and glared at him. "And people have the audacity ta call _me_ stupid? _Really_?"

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Grimmjow snapped, confused.

"Nothin'. This is one a'those things I like ta sit back and watch unfold on its own. So, what's _yer_ problem? Why's that givin' ya an attitude?"

He was still baffled, but decided to answer Renji's question before he got down to what the red head was referring to. After taking a breath and realizing what his answer would entail, he grimaced.

"You better not say nothin' ta Ichigo, Renji. I swear ta God-"

"Alright! I thought we went over this part already? My lips are sealed, JBG. Now, spill yer guts."

"I...uh...I, um..." he paused and licked his lips. Admitting it aloud was a huge step for him. "I love him," he managed quietly.

Renji stared, then blinked. Then he blinked again. Finally, the idiot grinned hugely. "Woorrrrd?"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, tempted to leave his seat and go back inside, but Renji started cackling and grabbed his arm to keep him in place.

"I'm jus' messin' witcha. Anyway. That's kinda deep, eh? What made ya realize ya felt that way about him?"

"I guess hearin' him say he loved someone else. It made me wonder why hearin' that from him made my stomach hurt."

Again, Renji face-palmed, but this time, his recovery was flawless. "Took ya long enough."

"What's that mean?" Grimmjow snapped uneasily.

He had that eerie feeling of Renji seeing right through him again.

"It means, I had a feelin' that was the case since I first met ya. I mean, the guy comes around and it's like no one else exists except him."

Grimmjow felt his face and ears go hot and knew that he was blushing. "Oh."

"Ha! It's all good, though. I don't think Ichigo knows."

"Well, that's good news. That's the last thing I need right now," he mumbled before draining the rest of his cup.

"Why? Would it be so bad tellin' him how ya feel?" Renji asked.

It was a good question. However, since he already knew that Ichigo was in love with someone, it made no sense confessing to him, only to be instantly rejected. He would be devastated and never able to face the orange-haired teen again. Not to mention, their friendship would be ruined. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"Ren, he don't love me like that. I can't tell him how I feel and fuck up our friendship. At least I still got _that_."

His red-haired teammate looked away and nodded as he rose to his feet. Grimmjow followed suit, intent on getting more beer, but as he took a step forward, Renji stopped.

He peered at him over his shoulder and said seriously, "I still think ya should tell him. Unrequited love is harsh."

With that, he moved on towards the house, stride lazy. Grimmjow frowned. He understood where the guy was coming from, but he really didn't see how he could tell Ichigo how he felt, knowing there wasn't a chance in hell his feelings would be returned. He trudged into the house, losing sight of Renji almost immediately as he made his way to the kitchen. Once he entered the packed space, he picked his way through the students, eyes glued to the kegs on the opposite side of the room. He finally crossed the floor and grabbed a red plastic cup, then filled it to almost overflowing with ice cold beer. Grinning, he lifted the cup to his lips, only to freeze in his tracks, eyes widening and lips parting in shock. Back across the room where he'd come from, leaning against the wall and wearing a seductive smirk was Ichigo. He had a red cup in his hand as he smiled up into the face of one of Grimmjow's teammates, a third year named Shukuro Tsukishima. The taller, thinner guy was the current quarterback and the sole reason their new coach kept Szayel on the bench, even though the pink-haired teen was a better player than the quietly arrogant Tsukishima.

Never mind all that, though. What the fuck was that asshole doing with Ichigo? He bit the rim of his cup as he watched Tsukishima lean in closer to the orange-haired teen, small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Tsukishima also held a cup, but Grimmjow had a feeling that both guys had forgotten about their beers. Suddenly, Ichigo's head tilted back as he laughed, deep brown eyes crinkled and dimples flashing. Grimmjow clenched his teeth together and swallowed slowly. His heart was racing as he was forced to watch, helpless, as Tsukishima used his free hand to grip Ichigo's chin and kiss him. He looked away from the scene, abruptly sick to his stomach. Was _Tsukishima_ the prick Ichigo was in love with? God, he hoped not.

 _But what if he is?_ his conscience questioned. _What will you do?_

Grimmjow turned back to the scene and saw Ichigo smiling almost shyly at the older, dark-haired man. He shuddered. What _could_ he do? Ichigo seemed happy and in the long run, that was all Grimmjow ever wanted for him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

His eyes held an overwhelming sense of pity as he studied two of his friends from across the crowded room. One seemed to be enjoying himself, while the other seemed to be doing anything but. Renji drowned his latest cup of beer and decided to take it easy for the rest of the night. As he watched his blue-haired teammate cross the room towards the large opening leading into the spacious sitting area, he shook his head and sighed. Grimmjow was his boy and all, but he was being pretty dumb. Not to mention a tad bit cowardly. OK, _not_ a tad bit. A _lotta_ bit. It was truly sad. Renji really didn't see how the guy couldn't see that his own best friend was in love with him and had been for quite some time now. He didn't get it. And Ichigo was no fucking better, behaving like a cowed victim. If it was up to Renji, he would have locked them in a room with all the necessary paraphernalia and refused to let them out until they fucked away all that damned tension.

Eyes brightening, his lips parted in stunned disbelief. Why the hell hadn't he thought of that before? They were all gathered in the same place and drinking to boot. It was the perfect atmosphere to throw in a little "did I really just do that?" along with some "what the hell was that?" between the two king-sized idiots. He crossed the room slowly, mind whirling. He had to be careful, however. He didn't want his plot to backfire and he didn't want to seem like he was being overly eager. It would have to seem entirely natural.

He briefly caught Ichigo's eye, to which he glared belligerently. Renji certainly didn't approve of who the orange-haired dummy was currently keeping company with. It went against his religion, so to speak. Tsukishima was an arrogant bastard with no morals. Plus, he was sneaky.

Renji made sure he had Ichigo's full attention when he shook his head in sullen disappointment, as if to relay his thoughts of "I can't believe what you're doing." Ichigo seemed to get it because he averted his gaze, a scowl forming between his brows. Good. He needed to rethink that option. Tsukishima was a lousy person and if he couldn't see it, didn't know that nice little fact by now, then Renji would gladly fill him in. It was his job, after all, keeping Ichigo and the jolly blue giant out of trouble. Besides, how would the two ever get together if they kept denying what was there? He really couldn't get over how blind they were to each other. Best friends for years, closer than fingers glued together, but they couldn't see that they were in love with each other.

Fucking _idiots_.

And this new thing with JBG was just ridiculous. How could he not see that the one Ichigo was in love with was himself? The orange-haired boy looked at him like he was the fucking Pope! Not to mention, it had taken the giant dumbass long enough to realize that he was in love with Ichigo to begin with. You don't just drift away from reality, nothing else existing except that person, if you're not in love with them. _Stupid_. Well, at least he'd finally gotten that part right, but now they were dancing around each other _again_ because of some weird ass miscommunication. Renji wanted to shoot 'em both. Take 'em out of their misery. It was excruciating to watch, especially when the fools got _him_ involved in their spectacular display of empty-headed logic.

But right now wasn't about that. He passed through the room, hoping Ichigo would come to whatever senses he had left and leave that snake Tsukishima alone. That or JBG growing a pair and dragging the orange-haired lunatic into the closest room to fuck his brain into restarting. Seriously.

But he couldn't really depend on the two of them to get the ball rolling. No. He had to step in and play match-maker, referee _and_ warden. And he wasn't even being paid for it. Lucky bastards.

He not too carefully stepped around swaying and sweaty bodies as he peered around the room for his other friend. Wasn't too hard. JBG was posted up against the far right wall, towering over everyone else, cup of beer at his lips as he stared at the floor like it had personally wronged him. _See? Fucking stupid_. Renji maneuvered through the sea of students until he came to a stop beside his blue-haired friend. JBG didn't even know he was there as he sulked and consulted the floor. It was too sad to watch, so he nudged the taller guy with his shoulder. Blue eyes blinked distantly a few times before settling on him.

"What?" he rumbled.

Renji shrugged as he settled back against the wall as well. "You were blankin' out on me. Wanted ta make sure ya were still in there."

JBG grunted before taking a sulky sip of his beer. He looked like all he wanted to do was leave and if Renji felt the way JBG did at the moment, he would want to leave too. Watching the person you're madly in love with consorting with someone else – let alone someone unsavory as Tsukishima – was bound to give a person a healthy dose of heartache. He sighed. There had to be a way out of this madness. There had to be.

The music was suddenly lowered as one of the popular she-devils on campus made her way to the middle of the room. Renji noticed that the crowd began thinning as students made their way to the front door. Was it time to go already? He glanced down at his watch and frowned. It was still early, only twelve. Parties like this didn't die down until three, four in the morning. What was going on?

The green-haired girl stood near the stereo and waved her hand for the room's attention. Once the noise settled, she cleared her throat and spoke. Once Renji heard her voice, however, he wished she hadn't decided to take the floor.

"I'm sorry, but this concludes the public part of this party," she announced. "It's time for the VIPs to really enjoy themselves and well...the rest of you aren't really invited."

Renji almost guffawed. What the _hell_? What kind of University party was this? How do you kick people out when it's just getting started? He chuckled under his breath and kept his position against the wall. _He_ wasn't going anywhere unless someone forcibly removed his ass from the premises. Luckily, that was unnecessary because the next words out of the beautiful girl's mouth involved football players and their companions only.

 _Well, damn_ , he thought, looking around the nearly empty room. That made it a private party alright.

Just as he was getting used to the silence, a deep voice went and broke it. "Well, this is a little better, hm?"

When Renji found the source of the voice, he scowled so hard, he thought his face would break. Tsukishima stood in the doorway of the kitchen, arm wrapped possessively around Ichigo's waist. Renji didn't even want to look at JBG, but it was sort of like a scary scene in a movie. You know it's going to be gory as fuck, but you can't help peeking through your fingers anyway. He slid a sideways glance at his tall friend and promptly grimaced.

Poor JBG.

The blue-haired boy looked like a harassed hedgehog. His hair seemed to stand on end and vibrate. His body trembled with barely checked rage and his large hands were clenched into deadly-looking fists. Although his brow was pulled into a murderous scowl and lips flattened into a line so thin, a string of thread would have a hard time getting through, the hurt lying behind the shadow of anger in those tropical-blue eyes was unmistakable.

Renji laid a hand on the bigger boy's arm and whispered out the side of his mouth, "Easy, big guy."

Apparently JBG had gone deaf because instead of calming down like Renji had intended, the guy edged forward, muscles taut with tension. Oh, this was all kinds of bad. He had no problem holding his own in a fight. Hell, normally he kicked ass and wrote about it on the walls of the boys' locker room, but this? Yes, he was strong. Yes, he often told himself he was carved from stone and likely indestructible, _but_...in the grand scheme of things, JBG was just an overwhelming powerhouse. He stood almost as tall as Nnoitra, but thicker. He had muscles in places Renji didn't even know _existed_ and the guy wasn't shy about using them, either.

Running a nervous hand over his face, he tried to formulate a plan. The room was filled with upper classmen and if JBG did jump at Tsukishima, they would be run over. They definitely didn't have the advantage here, even with Nnoitra on the scene. Desperate and grasping for straws, he placed his whole body in front of JBG and leaned back. With any luck, that would get the guy's attention long enough to clear his head and think rationally for a minute. Sure enough...

"What the fuck're you doin', Renji?" he growled darkly.

"Hm? Oh me? I'm just keeping us alive a little longer."

"What?"

"JBG, are you stupid?" he drawled slowly, as not to draw attention to themselves. "This room's fulla upper classmen. There ain't no win in this situation. Cool it, OK?"

Rapid breathing was his only response, but fortunately, JBG decided to behave. He stopped moving forward, but his body remained tense and hard as concrete. After letting out a huge sigh of relief, Renji stepped aside and turned his attention back to the dark-haired prick standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Sorry, but since this is sort of my party, I wanted it to be a bit more exclusive. No harm, no foul, right?" Tsukishima stated, grin small and almost charming. _Almost_. But Renji knew better.

The now small collection of students and athletes migrated to the sitting room where he and JBG were before the green-haired girl turned the music back on. She lowered the volume, though. Renji stroked his chin as he watched her turn her gaze in their direction. He wasn't at all interested, but that seemed OK because it didn't look like she was either. At least, not in him anyway. She glided over the hardwood floor and stopped directly in front of JBG. Hm?

"Hi," she greeted, toying with a section of her long hair.

Her clothes looked like something his little cousin could fit and she was about ten years younger than this chick. Her skirt was short and tight and her top was no better, displaying boobs intimidating even to him and he was a very straight man.

JBG didn't reply. He did, however, look to Renji, blue eyes utterly confused. Renji wanted to laugh, but thought better of it when the girl spoke again.

"My friend told me you were a lot hotter in person. She was right."

Oh, boy. She was going for the big guns in the early rounds, huh? Renji cast an uncertain look at JBG, wondering if the notoriously blunt boy would bite his tongue this time around. Knowing the guy's track record, though, he felt a sharp stab of dread. JBG was already riled up and a lot annoyed, so this girl's chances were nonexistent.

"That so?" he grunted, face mildly amused. "What else did yer friend tell you?"

The girl was so stupid. She looked older than them, but her brains seemed to be the same age as his gym shorts. How could she not hear the ominous tone in JBG's voice? Suddenly, Renji didn't feel so bad for her. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, thoroughly prepared to watch her bite the dust with wondrous flair.

With a lit-up face and a wide grin, she proceeded to dig her own grave. "Wellll," she started. "She told me that you were single _and_ that she'd heard you had a big... _you know_..."

Renji bit his bottom lip to keep from outright laughing. Oh, this was just precious.

JBG lazily arched a brow and shifted his weight. "Really? I take it ya wanna see it, then."

"Well, I wouldn't mind."

"Hn."

It was over. That grunt from the blue-haired boy was like the knocking sound ten seconds before a boxing round was over.

"Yeah, that's too bad. See, I like my dick in one piece, and a whore like you just might ruin that. So, no thanks."

The girl openly gaped at him, big, gray eyes round with disbelief. "W-what'd you just say to me?" she gasped.

JBG frowned. "Ya didn't have a problem understandin' what I was sayin' a minute ago. Why the sudden incomprehension?"

"Y-you _asshole_."

"Feel better?" JBG asked sarcastically. When the girl didn't respond, he flicked his wrist and waved her off like an annoying fly. "Run along now."

The girl gasped again before turning on her heel and disappearing into the kitchen. That was when Renji let it all hang out. He slid along the wall, clutching his stomach as he howled with laughter. He crowed so hard, he hurt. Finally, he calmed down long enough to glance at his friend, only to almost start back up at the sour look on the boy's face.

"You're a monster, JBG. It's a wonder you _ever_ get laid with that mouth of yours," he said, breathing still heavy as he tried to recuperate.

Blue eyes rolled as JBG sipped from his cup and carefully ignored him. His eyes had settled on the couch in the middle of the room, which made Renji turn to see what was so interesting. After seeing Ichigo seated next to Tsukishima, all humor disappeared like vapor. He should have known that JBG would focus on what he felt was more important. Which reminded Renji. He was supposed to come up with a plan to get those two alone together where they had no choice but to confess their feelings. But how would he do that without making it totally obvious?

And then Nnoitra – big ass kid that he was – gave him the perfect opportunity.

"Let's liven this shit up!" he shouted, clearly drunk. "I say we take it old school and play some seven minutes in heaven."

At first, there were groans all around. The sitting room had become a medium-sized gathering of the guys from the football team and whomever they'd brought along with them. They didn't seem thrilled about the idea, but Renji tackled it headfirst.

"I think that's the best idea you've ever had, Nno," he said calmly.

Tsukishima couldn't keep quiet, of course. His brows had creased at the sound of freshman taking over the floor. "That's a childish game, you know," he said condescendingly.

"Yeah, so?" Renji countered, already prepared for the protest. "It's also fun. Unless you're scared or somethin'."

_Bingo._

Tsukishima glared at him for a second before smiling that deceitfully charming grin of his. "Fine. I'm game," he said coolly. "Since you're so eager to play, why don't you nominate the first couple?"

Renji smirked so big, his cheeks ached. "Don't mind if I do."

XOXOXO

Ichigo felt like his stomach had hit the floor with a wet splat as he stared at his red-haired friend. He'd been uncomfortable all night after being asked to the party by the mysterious Tsukishima, and it had only grown worse once he'd seen Grimmjow there. His best friend wasn't in the best of moods if his stormy expression was any indication. He'd been giving Ichigo good glare the entire time until he'd finally found his way into the sitting room. Feeling a bit of a reprieve after the blue-haired boy's departure, he'd tried to relax, tried to settle his haywire nerves. It hadn't worked. Tsukishima didn't aid the situation with his aggressiveness, leaning into Ichigo and trying to kiss him at every chance he thought he got. It was slightly annoying, but he was trying to get his mind off of Grimmjow. He was trying to keep himself busy so he wouldn't dwell on how much he wanted to do every naughty thing in the book with the guy.

He was failing marvelously.

He kept envisioning deep blue eyes and a body that wouldn't quit. He kept hearing that rumbling voice that made it hard for him to sleep at night. And most of all, he kept thinking about how much he loved the taller boy. How much he wanted to run his fingers through that chaotic blue hair as he kissed him senseless. Fuck, he was a lost cause. He was so whipped and sprung, all he needed was a collar and you could stamp "Grimmjow's love-slave" across his forehead.

Then, the party had emptied out and become frightfully exclusive, where Tsukishima had proceeded to parade him around like a trophy wife. When they'd gone into the sitting room, Ichigo could feel Grimmjow's eyes all over him and definitely not in the way he wanted them to. The blue-haired boy was absolutely livid, but Ichigo didn't know why. He knew Grimmjow was fiercely protective of him, but it didn't explain why the guy kept shooting nasty looks at him.

He'd gone on to watch with sinking disappointment as Grimmjow had talked rather happily with a green-haired bimbo a couple years their senior. But then, the mood had shifted when his best friend's face had taken on a disgusted sneer. He hadn't been able to hear the conversation, but he had noticed when the girl ran off, looking like her life had just been ruined and when Renji had abruptly rent the air with his signature wall-shaking laughter. _Guess that had been a bust_ , he'd thought with glee. After that, the tall Nnoitra had suggested they play seven minutes in heaven, which had given Ichigo pause. Why such a kiddie game? It hadn't really bothered him, since he'd had no plans to participate, but then Renji had entered the fray and a hollow sense of "this is bad" had taken Ichigo hostage.

Renji and Tsukishima had exchanged words and at first, it had appeared as if the game would be called off. However, once Renji had attacked the dark-haired man's pride, things had gone infinitely "oh, no." Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off of Renji after he spoke the ominous words, "Don't mind if I do." This was severely bad. Especially since Renji's russet gaze immediately honed in on him. He wanted to throw up. Renji knew about his feelings for Grimmjow and with his tendency to meddle, there was no doubt about what he planned to do.

Please, God, let him be wrong.

"So, Ichigo," Renji started, Cheshire cat smirk taunting him. "You're up first."

Ichigo swallowed harshly and spared a glance at Tsukishima. Tsukishima smiled, all smugness, unaware of the red head's intentions. He really had no clue that their date was about to take a detour down "thing of the past" lane. He turned back to Renji, pleading with his eyes for the idiot not to do it. But, of course the guy did it anyway.

"Why don't you and JBG hit the closet?"

Grimmjow, who had been silently watching Renji with dismayed confusion, suddenly looked like he'd swallowed a big, thorny bug. His mouth fell open as he gave Ichigo wide "oh shit" eyes. Before either of them could even think about protesting, Nnoitra – the fucking drunken idiot – stepped in with a wide, piano-toothed grin.

"I second that!" he shouted.

Ichigo really felt like everything he'd eaten that day and the one before was about to make an abrupt appearance. He refused to look at Grimmjow. There was no way he could. He was scared to death, hands trembling and heart pounding so hard and loud, he was surprised he hadn't keeled over already. By now, the rest of the room was drunkenly chanting "do it, do it", and it took all his energy just to keep still. This was so bad, it couldn't get any worse.

"Well, Ichigo, it's not like you have to do anything," Tsukishima offered helpfully.

That was true. His mind settling a bit, he nodded and slowly climbed to his feet. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of that before. He really _didn't_ have to do anything. They could just sit in the closet for their seven minutes and no one would be the wiser. _Duh, dumbass_ , he inwardly berated. He finally dared to meet Grimmjow's eyes and was relieved to see the same steely reserve glittering in those ocean-blue depths.

This would be a piece of cake. A walk in the park.

Renji rubbed his big hands together and ushered an unmoving blue-haired boy towards the closet in the corner of the room. The door wasn't very big. In fact, it was kind of long and narrow, indicating there wasn't much space in there to begin with. Ichigo gave Grimmjow an uncertain once-over. He was huge. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy would fill the space with his height and mass alone. But again. They didn't have to do anything.

Ichigo walked on wooden legs to the closet, where Renji and Grimmjow waited. Blue eyes were focused on the door and that angular jaw was tight, muscles twitching every now and then as though Grimmjow was preparing himself for a big game. Renji threw open the door and just like Ichigo thought, the room was just big enough to fit the both of them.

Suddenly, a hand on Ichigo's back shoved him forward into the closet, shortly followed by Grimmjow before Renji's devious leer filled the doorway. "Ta-ta, ladies," he said with a small finger wave. The door closed, leaving the two of them in the pitch-black room. There was absolute silence. Ichigo was _sure_ Grimmjow could hear his heart throwing a fit in his chest because he certainly heard the short, uneven breaths the taller boy emitted.

As they stood there not making a sound, Ichigo began wishing things were different. He wished he had the balls to tell his best friend how he really felt. He wished he could take advantage of the first-rate opportunity being presented. He wished he could just close the miniscule space between their bodies and go for broke.

Oh, how he wished.

Face burning, he turned in the direction he thought Grimmjow was and slowly spoke after taking a deep, fortifying breath. "We don't have to do anything, Grimmjow," he said quietly.

He was proud his voice didn't shake.

A harsh breath was all he received as a response at first. Then Grimmjow's deep rumble filled the silence, giving Ichigo a bad case of goosebumps and heady arousal. "I know."

It was too hot. Grimmjow was big and his body was too close. Ichigo was so sexually excited, he didn't even care that he was in a cramped closet, which should have triggered his small case of claustrophobia. Without warning, his best friend shifted, skin brushing Ichigo's arm and igniting forest fires all over it. He jumped and fought the urge to edge closer. This was the worst-case scenario for him at the moment. He wanted so badly to jump the bigger boy's bones right there in that tiny closet, but couldn't.

"Five minutes!" Renji's slightly muffled voice called.

Ichigo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. His hands were shaking uncontrollably as he inhaled Grimmjow's unique scent. This was torture. He should've just protested from the beginning like he'd started to. Turned out he couldn't deal with the pressure of being so close to the boy he loved. He licked his lips, the sound almost deafening in the quiet space. Grimmjow still hadn't made a sound, but his breathing was almost erratic. Ichigo frowned. Why was the guy so wound up? He knew why _he_ felt like he was about to have a heart attack, but that shouldn't be the case for his best friend. Concern for the boy made him break the tense silence.

"Grimm, you OK?"

A loud whoosh of air almost made him jump. "Why wouldn't I be?" Grimmjow immediately snapped.

With a frown, Ichigo turned to where the voice had come from. "No need to be an asshole. If you're scared, you can just say so," he couldn't help taunting.

There was a brief pause before Grimmjow scoffed. "I ain't scared. Maybe _you_ are, but I ain't."

That was a definite challenge in the other boy's voice. It was clear as water. Ichigo never backed down from a challenge.

"Fuck you. I'm not scared."

"Whatever."

"Three minutes!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, even though he knew he couldn't be seen. This was stupid. He couldn't believe they'd been forced inside this closet in the first place. What had Renji hoped to accomplish with this stunt?

Grimmjow heaved a long-suffering sigh and his body came even closer. The hairs all over Ichigo's neck and arms stood up. He didn't realize he was breathing too quickly until Grimmjow said something about it.

"You sure yer not scared?" he asked with a haughty chuckle.

Defenses at full attention, he snapped. "You gonna do somethin' about it?"

Silence. Ichigo winced and lowered his head. Why had he said that? He was sure Grimmjow thought he was an idiot by now. And then...

"Maybe I will," the boy said, voice going deep and husky.

Ichigo frowned and focused on where he heard Grimmjow speak.

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No, wait," Ichigo blurted, still confused. He reached out in front of him and instantly regretted it. He'd grabbed a handful of soft cotton, fingers grazing warm, hard muscle. Grimmjow's breath hitched as he went still as stone. This time, Ichigo was positive his racing heart could be heard.

"Two minutes!"

"What're you doin'?" Grimmjow rumbled.

"I...why did you say that?"

"Say what?"

"Don't play dumb!" he snapped, frustrated. "You said-"

"Yeah, I know what I said. It was a joke. If yer scared-"

Ichigo had had enough of the scared accusations. He didn't know where the boost of courage came from, didn't know why he was so angry about something so childish and small, but the next thing he knew, he was on his toes and reaching up for the back of Grimmjow's neck. His hand mistakenly brushed the boy's face, but it gave him the information he needed. Hand in Grimmjow's hair, he tugged the teen's head forward and hastily placed a kiss on the first thing his lips found, which happened to be Grimmjow's chin. Harsh breathing filled the silence as the bigger boy's chest rapidly rose and fell. It was so quiet, if a pin fell, it would sound like an explosion.

Ichigo immediately regretted his actions until Grimmjow said, "That ain't a kiss."

Before he could blink, Grimmjow had his head anchored in place and his lips pressed to his. He must have died and gone to heaven because this just couldn't be real. He couldn't be kissing his best friend, the boy he'd been in love with for as long as he could remember. Ichigo didn't even dare to breathe as Grimmjow's soft lips moved over his own. When a warm, wet tongue teased the seam of his lips, air rushed out of his nostrils. This _was_ happening, no doubt about it. Heat gripped his waist and consumed his insides as he parted his lips to the searching tongue. It tapped shyly against his own at first before thrusting aggressively into his mouth. A startled moan was snatched out of him before he could stifle it, which in turn drew a quieter one from Grimmjow. His best friend pulled him tight to his body and lowered his hands to Ichigo's sides, where he gathered the t-shirt in a death grip.

It took no time at all for the kiss to become feverish. The room was so silent, their kissing sounded like it was on a microphone. Loud, wet smacking. Thunderous breathing. Oh, God, he was hot. He couldn't stop shuddering from the way Grimmjow's tongue drove itself in and out of his mouth, so aggressive and passionate, it was astounding. Not only that, but he certainly couldn't ignore the heavy erection digging into his hip. What the hell was going on? One of the blue-haired boy's hands traveled back up to Ichigo's neck, cupping the side of it as the kiss was deepened even further, which hadn't seemed possible. He groaned this time, hands sliding around Grimmjow's slim waist and fingers clutching the boy's shirt like his life depended on it. Sharp teeth nibbled his bottom lip, sucked it, then that wicked tongue dove right back into his mouth, driving him up the wall with lust. He was mad with it, not sure which direction was up and which was down. Who would have guessed Grimmjow was such a good kisser?

All too soon, Grimmjow ended the kiss with an audible peck. Ichigo hadn't even registered Renji's warning until Grimmjow stepped away from him and his deep voice rumbled, "Hope I didn't make yer boyfriend too mad."

Ichigo frowned, baffled. He started to reply when the door to the closet was opened. He blinked at the abrupt and offending light pouring into the small room as Renji stood in the doorway, grinning. The guy had been wearing an expectant smirk at first, but once he registered their faces, his tattooed eyebrows disappeared underneath his white bandana. Still shrouded in lust and stunned beyond belief, Ichigo stood rooted to the floor. Grimmjow, however, ran a hand through his wild hair, startlingly blue eyes a bit angry as he made his way past and out of the closet. Renji stepped aside, eyebrows still near his hairline as he turned those reddish-brown eyes back on Ichigo.

What the hell had just happened?


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

_That fucking Ichigo_ , Grimmjow thought venomously as he kicked into their shared dorm room. It was empty, thank God for that. After the episode in the closet of the American football house, he'd been keeping his and the orange-haired boy's meetings to a minimum. It wasn't because he was angry – although he was, but only with himself for losing control the way he had – but it was more because of the way Ichigo had just brushed the incident aside, like it'd never even happened. How did that even work? OK, _yes_ , Ichigo was involved with someone else, definitely in love with that person, but there was an elephant in the room that happened to go by the name of "We Kissed!"

Two weeks. Two miserable weeks had dragged by like an injured slug since then. However, Grimmjow remembered perfectly his best friend's response to what had occurred in that closet. He'd been in their room for about an hour and a half after they'd kissed, mind overturning itself and nearly self-destructing, when Ichigo had strolled in, face impassive.

_Grimmjow looked up from the manga he'd been pretending to read and focused on Ichigo's blank face. He wanted to say something, wanted to ask what happens now, but his tongue betrayed him. It sat still in his mouth, refusing to cooperate. Meanwhile, his best friend closed the room door and went over to his dresser, where he proceeded to undress, first starting with his shirt. Grimmjow watched in anticipation, the man downstairs shouting, "hell yeah!" Ichigo stripped down to his plaid boxers, tossed his clothes into the hamper beside his dresser...then shuffled over to his bed and climbed beneath the covers. Instantly deflating, Grimmjow couldn't believe his eyes. He continued to watch as Ichigo pulled his comforter over his head of bright orange hair and instantly dropped off to sleep._

_What the fuck?_

_He had to sit awake for hours, wondering what the hell was going on – not to mention horny as fuck-all – before finally deciding to get some rest himself. Maybe Ichigo just needed some time to wrap his mind around what they'd done. Lord knows, Grimmjow sure did. So, he let it go._

**The Next Morning**

_He woke to an empty room. Ichigo was gone and it seemed like he'd been long gone at that. His bed was made for a change and when Grimmjow ventured into the bathroom, there was barely any residual steam from the boy's shower. OK, maybe Ichigo just needed more time. That thought in mind, he showered and dressed for class._

**That Night**

_No sign of Ichigo and here it was going on one in the morning. Grimmjow was getting pissed. They needed to talk about that kiss or it would literally drive him insane. Coach Aizen had pulled him to the side after that evening's practice, brown eyes amiable and calm, but deep voice stern and meaning business. Yep, he'd been scolded because during the time he was supposed to think of nothing but football and carnage, his mind had been on his best friend. He'd been taken down several times, when there'd been no reason for it, and all because he couldn't stop thinking of kissing Ichigo. Tasting those soft lips, capturing that devilish tongue with his own, running his hands over that lean, firm body._

_He shuddered and pressed backwards into his pillow. Hell, that was why he was in trouble to begin with. If he couldn't get over this obsession of his, he wouldn't be starting in the next game and that was absolutely unacceptable. So, he figured the only way he could get his mind off of Ichigo was if they sat and talked about that kiss. Sure, at the time it'd merely been a challenge, a toss-around of testosterone. Sort of a who has the bigger balls kind of thing. But boy, had it backfired. He'd ended up enjoying himself way too much. Not only that, but he'd been so close to barring the door of that closet and fucking his own best friend through the floor. He'd wanted to. Damn, he'd wanted to, but then he'd thought about Ichigo's slimy boyfriend and changed his mind. He couldn't do that to the orange-haired teen, not if he really loved the guy. Against all his instinct and better judgment, he'd pulled away from what quite possibly qualified as the best kiss he'd ever shared with another person. Hard as a brick and hot as lava, he'd walked away from the person he'd loved since he was ten years old._

_But he hadn't expected there to be a total lack of communication between him and his best friend. It seemed like Ichigo was avoiding him like hell fire and it was really ticking him off. He wasn't known for patience at all; in fact, he was better known for having none, so Ichigo's little stunt was fraying his nerves. He closed his eyes, intent on waiting for Ichigo to make it to the room, but ended up dozing off before it happened._

**And The Next Day**

_That little bastard! Grimmjow seethed, faintly surprised he wasn't foaming at the mouth. Ichigo stood across the football field, dressed in a track uniform and casually talking to Tsukishima. Well, that's just unacceptable. He started to make his way over, when Renji stood in front of him, russet eyes shining with much curiosity._

" _So, JBG. Ya feel like talkin' 'bout what happened in that closet?"_

_Grimmjow snarled and spared him the briefest of death glares. "I kinda feel like kickin' yer ass fer that, actually."_

" _Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ya know I love it when ya talk dirty ta me an' shit, but I'm tryna be serious here."_

" _Renji, you-"_

" _Now, now," Renji chuckled as he danced away from Grimmjow's raised fists. "I thought it would help you an' Ichigo get the ball rollin', ya know?"_

_Grimmjow rolled his eyes and glared over at where Ichigo and Tsukishima stood. "Can't ya see he's got a boyfriend already?"_

_Renji followed his gaze and quirked his lips at the sight. "Unfortunately. Doesn't knock you outta the equation, though."_

" _Renji, whatever yer up to now, I want no parts of it. That closet shit was embarrassin' enough as it was; I don' need ya cookin' up another scheme that'll just end up mortifyin' me ta death this time around."_

" _Heh, don' be such a chicken, JBG."_

_Grimmjow scowled and walked away from his red-haired friend. "Fuck you."_

He supposed it was safe to say that Ichigo was avoiding him as well as pretending the kiss never happened. So, if that was the game the orange-haired youngster wanted to play, then Grimmjow was down. He could do the exact same thing, never mind how horny he got whenever he looked at his best friend. Ichigo had eventually come back to their room and was carefully easing into talking to him again. That was fine too. Ichigo was about to get a large helping of his own fucking bullshit.

He slammed the door to their room shut and stalked over to his stereo. After cranking the volume, he went to his dresser, snatched out a pair of basketball shorts, then stomped to the bathroom, where he changed clothes. Usually around this time he'd work out, so why change his schedule? He was done waiting for Ichigo to acknowledge what'd occurred between them. If the orange-haired teen wanted to be Mr. Magoo about things, then he'd be Stink Meaner from Boondocks. He trooped back into the room to start his regimen of sit-ups and push-ups. Maybe the workout would get his mind out of the gutter and off of his best friend.

XOXOXO

Scared. He was so scared, he wanted to disappear from sight. He'd been avoiding Grimmjow like the boy was a zombie ever since that kiss, and he wasn't afraid to admit it was because he was nervous as hell to bring up the topic. What if Grimmjow shot him down? What if he just laughed it off and told Ichigo he was being stupid? It was just a kiss, after all. There were so many scenarios his mind had conjured and not one of them good. There was a _small_ chance that the blue-haired teen would feel the same way since he'd happily returned Ichigo's kiss. Hell, the guy'd even had an erection. A very impressive erection, at that. But it didn't mean anything in the long run, either. They were boys; it was only natural to get hard when sexually stimulated, and that could be the crappy excuse Grimmjow would use in this instance. An outcome Ichigo was wholly terrified of.

He hadn't been able to get his best friend's soft lips and demanding tongue out of his head since that night and the images looked to be sticking around for good. Grimmjow had ruined any hope of otherwise. Now, when Ichigo saw the other boy, it was all he could do to keep his hands to himself, keep from leaping at the teen like a savage and forcing him to fuck. There'd been one incident, however, that had made things much worse. He'd come in rather late from a night of partying with Tatsuki and Chado, only to see Grimmjow sprawled on his back on top of his covers, fast asleep. That hadn't been the problem, though. The problem had lain with Grimmjow's very evident hard-on tenting his striped boxers. Not only that, but the bigger boy had been shirtless and one of his hands had been creeping from his abdomen down to the issue in his shorts. Stuck, all Ichigo had been able to do was watch as his best friend slid that hand into his boxers and settled it over his package after shifting it around a bit. It'd been like a kiss to the head of his dick: a tempting tease of a sight that would forever haunt him. He'd barely managed to make it to the bathroom, where he'd shut and locked the door before climbing into the shower and pulling a hamstring from jerking off so intently.

Grimmjow had no idea what he was going through and Ichigo kind of wanted to keep it that way. Thankfully, the blue-haired teen hadn't brought up the kiss subject, so things were gradually going back to normal. Sure, the atmosphere between them had been tense and awkward at first, neither wanting to meet each other's eyes and Ichigo skirting around the other boy, but at present, it felt like there was a chance for them to hang out like they used to. At least, that's what he was hoping for. After hiding away from Grimmjow for a little while, Ichigo was prepared to behave like a best friend again. With that thought in mind, he stepped into their dorm room and once the door was closed behind him, instantly froze, a whine ringing through his head. This was _so_ not fair. What the hell had he done to deserve this kind of cruel and unusual punishment? Whatever it was, he took it back. He'd never do it again. He didn't think his heart _or_ his libido could handle much more of this.

Grimmjow lay on his back on the hard floor, shirtless and sweating, bright blue hair plastered to his head. Then he grunted and put those thick arms behind his head before moving into a series of sit-ups that accordion'ed his abdomen and made his pectorals jump. It was then Ichigo registered the pounding bass vibrating the room.

_I broke free, cast away_

_Won't find me_

_And now you're never gonna break me down_

_Gonna break me down_

_This is all, I can take_

_So farewell_

_'Cuz you're never gon' find me now_

_Gon' find me now_

3OH!3's "We Are Young" was one of Grimmjow's favorite songs and at the moment was blasting through the speakers of his stereo, providing a sexy ass soundtrack for the boy's workout. Holy shit, the injustice of it all. Ichigo sighed deeply and cursed his luck as he made his way over to his desk. He supposed he should just add this to his mental file labeled "Masturbation Material." It was useless to think of it as otherwise. Fighting probably a boner the length of the equator, he plopped into his rolling desk chair and shrugged off his backpack. He dug through the black bag for his laptop and notebook and once he'd plugged in the computer, got down to business writing the English paper he had due the next day. He tried his _best_ not to glance over at Grimmjow every few seconds.

Didn't work at all.

Grimmjow was doing push-ups now, still grunting, still sweating, still fucking sexy as a luxury sports car. Cornflower-blue eyes were glued to the floor and bright blue brows scrunched into a scowl as his body was lowered...then raised...then lowered again. God, Ichigo wished with all his might to be underneath that disgustingly gorgeous body. Was it wrong to want to lick the sweat from the other boy's glistening skin? Oh man.

He tapped aimlessly on his laptop keys, not even comprehending what was on the screen. Hell no. His _entire being_ was focused on the teen a few feet away from him, exerting testosterone and sheer male so effortlessly, it had to be a crime. Ichigo gave up and turned his head slightly to get a better view, barely noticing the music change to "We Fight For Love" from that stupid movie, Commando, Grimmjow always made them watch. He stared as Grimmjow's back, arms, chest and abdomen muscles tensed and released in time to the push-ups. And then he bit his bottom lip when the boy paused and blew out a harsh breath after one of the lifts. That was it. That was all it took to have him hard and throbbing in his jeans. Christ, this shit was going to kill him faster than a bullet to the head.

Grimmjow finally lowered himself, body moving fluidly. Sweat slid over his skin enticingly, dipping between his shoulder blades and gliding down his chest. It dripped onto the floor from the side of his face and under his chin. His arms were cut like blocks of ice and hands big and braced against the floor. His legs were crossed at the ankles and led up to that fantastic ass of his that tensed and released right along with all of his other splendid muscles.

Ichigo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and blinked. He'd been staring shamelessly. He'd only meant to watch from his peripheral, but ended up turning his body in Grimmjow's direction, eyes wide and appreciative. He just couldn't help it. Grimmjow was like a Nordic barbarian: beautiful in all his aggressive glory. And here Ichigo was inwardly waxing poetic. He blew out an agitated breath and turned back to his computer, determined to get some kind of work done.

It was not to be.

The blue-haired teen climbed to his feet and stretched, long, sculpted torso rippling before settling into place. After that, he turned and shuffled over to the mini-fridge they shared, where he grabbed a bottle of water and tossed it back. Sweat still poured from his body in tantalizing rivulets, but now Ichigo was graced with the added bonus of seeing the line of fine blue hair that led from the boy's navel and disappeared beneath the waistband of his shorts. Adonis lines – sharp and pronounced – cut a path across slim hips, where Grimmjow's perspiring lower abdomen was displayed. Ichigo felt like he did the first time he'd seen the modern version of Captain America and Chris Evans had been peeled from that machine, looking white-hot and godly. He couldn't keep himself from staring – or that's what he thought until his best friend lowered the water bottle and glanced over at him. He definitely turned away then, afraid of being charged with visual molestation.

Eyes on his computer screen, he fought the urge to gulp and fidget when Grimmjow moved in his direction. _Please, please, please go to the bathroom_ , he inwardly begged. Ha! Fat chance. All that goodness came sauntering over to him before leaning over his shoulder to study the screen of his laptop. Blue eyes peered at the computer, then lowered to Ichigo's face, curious.

"Whatcha doin'?" Ichigo swooned. Luckily, he caught himself before he tipped over and hit the floor. However, it wasn't enough to slip Grimmjow's attention. "You OK?" the blue-haired boy continued.

Ichigo took a deep breath, got himself together, then turned and gave his best friend a deadpan stare. "I'm sorry. I just can't concentrate with all the _fumes_ you're putting out. Jesus Christ, Grimm, have a heart, huh?"

The boy laughed and backed away, broad shoulders shrugging carelessly. "Sweaty men are sexy men, Ichigo. Dontcha know anything?"

Very true.

"I know you smell like an old gym bag."

"Yeah, right. Well, I'm gonna go shower just fer you, OK?"

"Thank you. I appreciate it, believe me," he remarked sarcastically as he watched with sadness as Grimmjow carried all his manliness to the bathroom.

The teen paused in the doorway with a grin as the song playing on the stereo changed. "Everywhere I go, bitches always know, that Grimmjow J. has got a weenie that he loves to showww," he sang.

Ichigo shook his head and rolled his eyes as the bass dropped for Hollywood Undead's "Everywhere I Go." "Go wash your ass! You fuckin' smell like a dirty bathroom!"

"Hey, hey! Enough a'that! I don' stink; yer jus' jealous, ya know?"

"You're absolutely right, Grimm; ya saw right through me. I'm _totally_ jealous of your funk."

Grimmjow laughed as he flipped Ichigo the bird and slammed the bathroom door shut. The orange-haired teen didn't relax until he heard the water running and Grimmjow singing the lyrics to the song in the background. He wanted to fall out of his seat and lay there panting until he managed to recover from his best friend's lethal output of sex appeal. He'd been _so close_ to turning in his seat and throwing himself at the other boy's dripping torso. He took another deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. This was a test worthy of Job himself and since Ichigo didn't have that much patience to begin with, it wasn't surprising that he was failing horrendously. However, Grimmjow did appear to be his normal self, which was great in the long run. He wasn't sure what he would've done had the blue-haired boy decided to question him about that kiss.

With a hefty sigh, he finally buckled down and got to his paper. He was three pages in by the time Grimmjow decided to emerge from the bathroom, steam following him out like the claws of a smoky apparition. A hunter-green towel was wrapped around his waist as he moved over to the dresser on his side of the room. Ichigo tried to ignore his friend, but that was like politely asking Napoleon to cease and desist. His eyes were helplessly glued to the bigger boy's form as he grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and socks, then headed back to the bathroom. About five minutes passed before Grimmjow once again appeared, this time minus the towel, but still baring most of his skin in just his underwear. Ichigo gave his head a slight shake as he thought of something to say that would get his mind out of his best friend's drawers.

"I thought you keeled over from your own stench," he stated dryly.

"Well, ya know, us beautiful people gotta take care of ourselves."

"Easy, Grimm. Your ego's choking me to death over here."

Grimmjow grinned and moved over to his dresser again, this time grabbing his deodorant. After liberally coating his pits, he slathered on some unscented lotion, then started to swagger towards Ichigo, but the song that began playing stilled his steps. Blue eyes wide, Grimmjow's face creased into a monster of a grin. He scurried back to his dresser, snatched up a tall can of air freshener and turned to face Ichigo again. He strolled forward, face too devilish for words and giving Ichigo a serious giggle-fit. He knew the song, of course. Once Grimmjow had returned from America, they'd made it a tradition to enjoy it with relish since it was so ridiculous.

_High above the mucky-muck, castle made of clouds_

_There sits Wonderboy, sitting oh so proudly_

_Not much to say when you're high above the mucky-muck_

_Yeahhh, yeah_

_Wonderboy_

_What is the secret of your power?_

_Wonderboy_

_Won't you take me far away from that mucky-muck now_

As Grimmjow serenaded him, Ichigo tried to hold back his grin. The huge boy lowered himself to his knees in front of Ichigo, gripping the air freshener like it was a real mic. The guitars slowed and Grimmjow ran a hand dramatically through his damp blue hair.

"Now it's time for me to tell you about Young Nasty Man, arch rival and nemesis of Wonderboy. With powers comparable to Wonderboy!" Grimmjow shook a fist. "What powers, you ask? Ah, how 'bout the power of _flight_? That do anything for ya? It's levitation, Holmes. How 'bout the power to kill a yak from two hundred yards away...with _mind bullets!_ That's telekinesis, Ichigo." Here he tossed his head, hair shifting and folding over his gleaming left eye. "How 'bout the power...to move you?" he finished, voice low and deadly serious.

Ichigo couldn't hold it in anymore and cracked up. Tears streamed from the corners of his eyes as he watched Grimmjow leap to his feet and continue with the song. It was ludicrous, but funny as all hell. That was, until Grimmjow decided to make him join in on the fun. The taller boy danced over to him again and grabbed his wrist, pulling him none too gently from his seat.

"Hey! I don't wanna play karaoke with you right now! I got homework!" he protested.

Grimmjow played deaf as he shoved his makeshift mic into Ichigo's hand. Over the loud music, he shouted, "I sang for you! It's yer turn now!"

"But I didn't ask you to-"

"Well, tha's fine. I c'n jus' tickle yer feet an'-"

"OK! Fuck, OK. Yer such a cheater," Ichigo grumbled.

He shoved his best friend into the seat he'd been forced to vacate, grinning smugly at the boy's miffed expression. After that, he proceeded to make a fool of himself. He couldn't sing to save his life – neither could Grimmjow – and it showed clearly in his deep warble.

"Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from that mucky-muck now!"

Grimmjow cracked a large, feral grin as he leaned back in the seat and put his arms behind his head. Blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief as Ichigo continued.

"But Wonderboy and Young Nasty Man joined forces, they formed a band the likes of which had never been seen! And they called themselves Tenacious D! That's right! Me and G.J.!" Ichigo pointed at his chest, then at Grimmjow with a colossal smirk. "Well! Tenacious D! Come fly with me! Fly!"

Grimmjow surged from the desk seat and wrapped an arm around Ichigo's shoulders to finish off the song. "Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now!"

They fell into a fit of laughter that left both of them wheezing and coughing, totally unaware of their visitor standing in the doorway with an amused grin. Ichigo hadn't had that much fun in a while and it felt good knowing he and Grimmjow could still be retarded together.

"Well, well, well. Sonny and Cher in the flesh, ne?" Renji's deep voice cut through the music.

Shocked, Ichigo jumped and turned to stare at the red head. Renji's grin was mile-wide and all-knowing and it made his skin crawl. He still hadn't completely forgiven the boy for throwing him and Grimmjow into that closet. He would also never tell the guy that he was wholly grateful for what he'd done at the same time. It would go straight to Renji's head if he knew he'd done something right for a change. No way. Grimmjow went over to his stereo and shut it off before giving his attention back to the red head.

"I seriously hate ta break up this _awesomely fantabulous_ moment, but, Ich, ya think I c'n borrow JBG for a sec?" Renji asked.

Ichigo shrugged, not understanding why the idiot needed his permission to begin with. He glanced over at Grimmjow and was happy to see the boy smiling down at him like he used to. A large hand ruffled his hair before the blue-haired teen went to his dresser and nabbed a tee and a pair of basketball shorts.

On his way out the door, Grimmjow turned and asked, "Ya wanna watch a movie when I get back?"

Resisting the unexpected urge to blush, Ichigo nodded and went over to his desk. He could get most of his English paper done while Grimmjow was out. Hell, there were only ten pages that needed to be done anyway. He was happier that things between him and his best friend were back to normal, and that their kiss was forgotten.

XOXOXO

He closed his dorm room, heart light as a feather. He'd been pissed with Ichigo before, but after his workout, he'd been more open-minded. He'd come to the conclusion that maybe the reason Ichigo hadn't approached the kiss discussion was because he wanted to keep their friendship in tact. The guy was already seeing someone, so mentioning the kiss would've only ruined what they had, and once Grimmjow had given it some thought, he was grateful that his best friend had been wise enough to handle the situation the way he had. Now, it was his chance to return the favor. And he figured he had with the song they'd dubbed their anthem. The orange-haired boy seemed perfectly normal, like his old self. It felt good. Grimmjow didn't have to worry about skirting around a sensitive issue or stepping on the teen's toes, so to speak. They could hang out again and never have to worry about being awkward with each other. He wouldn't let them. He'd go back to being jock/player extraordinaire, enjoying University and plowing his way towards the pros.

Renji led him outside to the nearly empty track, where he thumped up the bleachers and sat at the very top row. He patted the spot beside him with a sly grin, making the hairs all over Grimmjow's body rise. What was the guy up to _now_?

"Have a seat in my office, JBG." Grimmjow scoffed, but warily lowered himself next to the red head. Renji allowed a moment of silence to pass before that deep rumble started up again. "Now, tell me what happened in that closet 'fore I explode."

"That jus' might be a good thing, ya know? 'Sides, I ain't too keen on tellin' ya nothin' else after whatcha did."

"C'mon, JBG! Ya gotta admit, you an' Ichigo are lookin' better than ever. Have ya had sex yet?"

The question went directly to his dick. He'd been training his mind to keep Ichigo and sex out of the same box and just when he thought he'd done it, Senor Asshole had to ruin it.

"Fuck, Renji! We're not havin' sex, OK? Christ..."

"Aw, man. What happened? Didn't you guys confess in the closet? Wasn't that why Ichigo came out lookin' like he'd just watched you walk on water?"

OK, that was funny. Grimmjow covered his chuckle with the back of his hand and tried glaring at the red head. No dice. The look rolled right off the guy like oil over rubber, so he changed tactics.

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout?"

"Oh, _that's right!_ You skedaddled outta there like yer ass was on fire before seein' the aftermath of whatever went down in that closet. Well...Ichigo floated through the door like he'd seen Christ himself. So, again I ask, what the fuck didja do in there?"

Grimmjow paused and studied his hands. Should he risk telling Renji exactly what had occurred between him and Ichigo in that closet? He was definitely thinking twice about it, but then he realized that if it hadn't been for the red head's meddling, he never would've tasted his best friend, whom he'd been in love with for longer than he'd even known himself. He was grateful for that, but at the same time wanted to beat the shit out of Renji for making things so awkward. He really didn't like the idea of sharing the news of his and Ichigo's kiss, but maybe, just maybe something good would come from it. Either that, or it would backfire like an old vehicle.

"We kissed."

Silence. Blessed silence. Then Renji killed it with a gasp and shocked laughter. "What?" he screeched. "No way! You guys _kissed?_ "

"Yep, pretty much."

"Well, then my question 'bout sex wasn't too far off! When're you guys gonna do the deed?"

Grimmjow chuckled, wishing he could answer that with a proud boast of an exact date. "We ain't. We're still jus' best friends. Ichigo's got a boyfriend an'-"

"Hold up, _wait_. Yer tellin' me that you two kissed in that closet, but yer still _friends_? What kinda kiss was it? Just a peck, or somethin' bigger?"

"Um...well, it wasn't a peck, that's fer sure," he grunted, trying to will his mind away from that night.

"So there was tongue involved is what yer sayin'."

"You c'n say that."

"I can an' I _will_ , thank you very fuckin' much. If you two _Frenched_ each other, why the fuck haven't you... _fucked?_ "

And there went his resolve. His mind brought up all those feelings he was trying to keep concealed at the back of his brain. Ichigo panting and grinding against him, Ichigo moaning, Ichigo's soft lips and dexterous tongue. Jesus Christ, the boy's taste and smell, his firm muscles and satiny skin. Huffing exaggeratedly, he covered his face with both hands. Renji just didn't understand. There was too much history between him and Ichigo as friends to simply turn that aside for a quick romp in the hay. It would have felt great at the time, but afterward...then what? What would they have said? What would they have _done?_ Knowing himself, Grimmjow would've rolled Ichigo over and done it again, but that was neither here nor there. Their friendship would've been ruined and that he couldn't have. Besides, Ichigo didn't love him like that, and was already in a relationship with the one he _did_ love romantically. End of story, in Grimmjow's opinion.

"It's complicated," he finally grunted.

Renji sucked his teeth and groaned. "You're _hopeless_ , JBG. _Positively hopeless_. There's no savin' ya. You _love_ the guy, you _kissed_ the guy, but you won't _have sex_ with the guy. Makes confused face!"

"Ren, it ain't that fuckin' simple. Ichigo's got a man that he loves. If we would've had sex on a passing whim, only for him to go runnin' back ta that guy, I think it would've killed me, or at least sent me to an asylum. Tha's too much pressure, even fer me."

"So yer back at square one. What're ya gonna do now?"

Grimmjow shrugged and ran a hand through his damp hair. "Be me, I guess. We're still friends, so tha's cool. I'll jus' go back ta getting' laid on a regular basis and keep my feelings to myself. He won't know the difference."

Renji went quiet, which made Grimmjow look at him curiously. The red head stared off into the distance, russet eyes sparkling even as a frown creased his brows. He wondered what the guy was thinking about so intently. He sure as hell hoped it wasn't another scheme to get him and Ichigo together. Grimmjow was done hoping things between them would change.

"I get it," Renji muttered at last. "I won't try any funny business anymore. I jus' thought it might be nice for two people so close to be with each other."

"We _are_ wit' each other. Jus' not the way ya want us ta be, an' I'm fine with that."

"Are you really?" the red head asked, eyes focused on Grimmjow's face and serious as the plague.

Grimmjow thought about it, he really did. In the end, he still came up with the same result. He'd rather be by Ichigo's side as his friend than as nothing at all.

"Yeah, I am."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

His day had been pretty shitty. His performance in the two-hundred meter had declined, and his coach – a short, insanely annoying woman named Rukia Kuchiki – had expressed her dissatisfaction in the form of a bunch of four-hundred meter runs, which he completely sucked at. He lacked endurance while running, more suited for the short bursts of sprints. He was _so_ not ready for the world of the four-hundred meter.

He slumped into his dorm room, duffel bag slung over his left shoulder and a towel over his head. He was exhausted. Not only had practice been an epic failure, but he was being hounded by Tsukishima, to whom he'd explained time and time again that they were not an exclusive kind of couple. He'd urged the dark-haired man to see other people, but had he listened? Hell no. And it was just as frustrating as when he'd gone through the same thing with Shuuhei. He seriously hoped this wasn't going to be a repeat of that situation; he'd had enough of guys that were too fucking clingy.

"Wha's yer problem?"

Ichigo's head came up as he peered from beneath the white fringe of the towel covering his hair.

"What?" he asked.

He hadn't even realized Grimmjow was in the room.

His best friend sat on his bed Indian-style, a translucent blue bowl full of cereal in his hands. The TV blared the sounds of violence and gore, and a gallon of milk rested on the floor in front of him along with a box of Apple Jacks. Typical Grimmjow behavior. The taller boy was almost naked, but Ichigo was slowly – and he meant _slowly_ – getting used to the daily exposure of so much skin. Still...sometimes it shocked him enough to make him check for his own pulse. Like now, for instance. Luckily, his face was mostly covered by the towel because his eyes were stuck to the black boxer briefs Grimmjow wore...and that was it. The guy didn't even have the decency to wear socks. Sigh.

"I said wha's wrong witchu?"

With a sigh, Ichigo dropped his bag on his own bed and fell onto his back beside it, arms thrown over his head. "I had a bad day," he grunted.

"Wha' hoppin'?"

Ichigo frowned and turned his head, focusing on the blue-haired boy across the room. He smirked at the sight of Grimmjow staring at him with a mouth full of cereal, milk creeping towards his chin.

"Don't talk with food in yer mouth, animal." Grimmjow grinned and turned back to the TV when a particularly desperate shriek jumped out of it. Ichigo scowled. "What the fuck are you watchin'?"

"Dawn of the Dead."

"That's gross."

"What?" Grimmjow snapped, blue eyes astonished. "This is cool! Yer jus' a wimp."

"Why? 'Cuz I don't like bleeding, falling apart zombies and shit? Yer jus' bein' a typical guy, that's all."

"Pussy."

"Whatever," Ichigo grunted, not really in the mood to banter.

He kicked his bag off the bed and curled up on his pillow, not giving a damn that he was still sweaty from practice. He was too tired to move, and his bad mood didn't help things. He tugged the towel lower over his eyes and closed them, finally glad to achieve some sort of peace and quiet. It lasted two minutes at the most. His bed suddenly bounced like a trampoline, tossing him about three inches into the air.

"What the hell?" he yelled, snatching the towel away from his eyes.

Grimmjow stood over him on the bed, hands on his hips and blue eyes wired like he was high on speed. A lime-green towel was wrapped around his neck like a cape and his hair stuck up in strange spikes. Not to mention, he was grinning like a deranged clown.

"Ichigo Kurosaki! The Grimm thinks you need to cheer the fuck up before he brings out the big guns!"

He stared at his best friend like the boy'd lost his fucking mind. "What the fuck is your problem? Get off my bed, you freak!"

Grimmjow merely gave a big grin. "Not 'til ya smile. See what The Grimm's doin'? It ain't hard."

Exasperated, Ichigo gave a poor excuse of a smile and swiped at the other teen's long legs. Grimmjow jumped again, making the bed hiccup and toss the orange-haired boy into the air like a frisbee. What the hell! All he wanted to do was sleep! Was that too much to ask? He glared at his friend and came to the inevitable conclusion that...yes...it most certainly was.

"Ya call that a _smile_? Laaaaame," the idiot droned. "Try again! An' put some life in it, or I really will bring out my secret arsenal."

"Get. Off. My. Bed. Now, preferably," he drawled sarcastically.

"Uh-oh. Remember: ya forced my hand, kiddo!"

With that, Grimmjow turned his back and dropped onto Ichigo's legs, rendering them completely immobile. Dread was sharp and fierce as he sat up, but Grimmjow reached back and pushed him down. It was annoying how easy it was for the taller boy to shove him onto his back, but he'd be damned if he gave up. He knew where this was headed. Before he could move again, however, the blue-haired boy's hands were all over his feet, ripping his sneakers and socks off before launching a dastardly tickle attack on the poor, unprotected appendages.

All he could do was shriek like one of the actors in the movie Grimmjow had been watching. It wasn't fair that he couldn't get the blue-haired idiot off him.

"STOP!" he screamed. "STOP! ALRIGHT, I FUCKIN' GIVE!"

Grimmjow tossed an evil cackle over his shoulder and shook his head. "Nope. I gave ya an easy out an' ya wanted ta take the hard way. Deal wit' it."

Ichigo's upper body twisted in every direction imaginable. Anyone watching would think he was part snake or something. His feet. Christ, the tickle was unbearable at best, and Grimmjow was being utterly merciless. The boy was his best friend, but right now he really hated his fucking guts.

"I SAID STOP GODDAMMIT!"

"So?"

He was desperate. "Grimm, please," he tried, voice lower. "You're killin' me here."

"Oh, _nowwww_ ya wanna be nice?" Grimmjow aimed a look at him over his shoulder, blue eyes wide. "I don' think so, Ich."

The tickling resumed. In fact, it escalated.

"ASSHOLE!" Ichigo screeched.

His feet were under attack, and he had no defense against the taller boy's weaponry. He jerked and yanked his legs back and forth, but they only managed to move a few inches each time. Grimmjow was just too fucking heavy. Tears poured from his eyes and his chest ached from laughing and screaming so hard. Any minute now and he'd have a heart attack. And then, the answer appeared over his head via cartoon light bulb. The position was perfect.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Ya wanna play rough? OK!"

Grimmjow frowned back at him, but it was too late to rethink strategy now. Ichigo sat up and dug his fingers along the grooves of the bigger boy's ribs. Grimmjow froze, and that was when Ichigo slipped his feet away and anchored his hold on his best friend's sides. He moved his fingers like he was playing piano, mouth curved into a wicked smirk and eyes narrowed with vengeance. Grimmjow coped a lot better than Ichigo had under attack, but in the end, he fell just as hard. Ichigo knew it was risky, but still wrapped his legs around the bigger boy's waist, the heels of his feet digging into Grimmjow's thighs to keep him in place. Then, he really went for broke. He could feel every last groove of Grimmjow's ribs as the boy twisted and grabbed, trying to pry Ichigo away.

He was laughing hysterically.

It was great.

"Fuck wit' me, eh?" Ichigo growled. "No mercy, dipshit!"

And then it all came to an abrupt end when Grimmjow growled back through his laughter. Ichigo suddenly realized the position they were in, ears burning for an entirely different reason, now. In order to save face, he kept tickling, but the playfulness was quickly turning into something a lot hotter. Something that made magma pool in his gut. Before he knew what was happening, his fingers slowed and began wandering along Grimmjow's ribs in a much less assaulting manner. He pressed his forehead to his best friend's broad back and closed his eyes. He could pretend he was tired and trying to catch his breath, right? Just to enjoy the little slice of heaven he'd been presented with.

So, he did.

"'M tired," he grunted, eyes still shut tightly and hands still restlessly moving along Grimmjow's sides.

And then he realized how still the blue-haired boy was. It seemed like piece by piece, his surroundings slowly fell into place. Grimmjow's hands were resting on top of his own, his chest rapidly heaving, but he was absolutely silent. Nothing else moved. Even his head was still facing forward. Ichigo's face caught fire and smoldered when he registered what was going on between his own legs, and it had nothing to – well, no that would be a blatant lie. Let's just say he wasn't referring to the _boy_ sitting there.

Now, he was afraid to move. Was Grimmjow being so quiet because he could...feel Ichigo's...? No way! Ichigo could die a thousand times, and it still wouldn't be enough to get rid of the mortification that would surely follow. Before he could contemplate it further, Grimmjow was suddenly off the bed and stumbling to the bathroom, hand over his stomach like he was in pain. Ichigo stared at his friend's back before it disappeared behind the door.

What the hell. Grimmjow _definitely_ knew.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow stared at the toilet like he was about to cry. Honestly, he felt like he _should_ be crying at this point. One minute he was trying to cheer up his best friend, and the next, he was sporting an erection the size of a small country. What the fuck. He gripped the toilet lid and gritted his teeth.

_I won't jerk off, I won't jerk off, I won't-_

A knock at the door made his whole body jolt at the same time his eyes looked around wildly. He knew who it was, knew Ichigo probably thought he was crazy as hell for hopping off the bed and hiding out in the bathroom without saying a word. They'd been having a grand old time. Of _course_ Ichigo would worry. But how the fuck was Grimmjow supposed to tell the boy he had a weapon capable of mass destruction in his boxer briefs? It wasn't like he could've calmly stood and faced the orange-haired teen. What, and wave his little buddy in the kid's face? No way.

Not to mention, he refused to point out the hardness he'd felt against the small of his back. The situation had already gone from fun and friendly, to awkward as fuck at the speed of light, so there was no reason to make it worse by saying "HEY! YOU GOT A STIFFY TOO!"

Fuck that.

He gritted his teeth some more as Ichigo knocked again. This time, however, the doorknob rattled, kicking Grimmjow's heart rate into orbit. But he couldn't move from in front of the toilet. He had one hand on the lid, and the other on his dick. If he moved, he was sure he'd explode like a can of hairspray in a microwave. Luckily, the rattling stopped, but Ichigo's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Hey, Grimm, you OK?"

Was he OK?! Was he-

"I'm good," he croaked.

Well, what else was he going to say? He couldn't very well tell Ichigo he'd wanted to turn around and fuck the stupidity out of him. But he'd wanted to. _Good Lord_ , he'd wanted to. He'd wanted to keep the slighter boy's legs around his waist and go the fuck to town.

"You sure?"

Grimmjow growled, completely unstable. He added pressure to the grip on his package, hoping it would make the persistent bastard downstairs go the fuck to sleep. It didn't. In fact, at the sound of Ichigo's voice, it just got worse.

"This is ridiculous," he whimpered, eyes back front and center.

"Grimm?"

 _SHUT UP!_ his conscience screamed. He couldn't get the feeling of Ichigo's warm body behind him out of his head. He couldn't stop reliving how good the other boy's hands had felt on his sides, how the slow presence of another erection – _Ichigo's_ erection – had had him instantly hard himself. He blew out a breath, let go of the toilet lid and ran the same hand through his hair.

"Ichigo, I'm fine. My stomach's hurtin'," he lied.

He really hated lying to Ichigo, but with the way things were, he would have to get used to it. He was going to have to lie to his best friend a lot if he planned to keep his feelings undiscovered. Shit.

There was a brief pause from the other side of the door before Ichigo chuckled and grumbled, "Gross."

Grimmjow blew out another breath, this one relieved. He couldn't believe Ichigo actually went for that bullshit excuse.

Grimmjow tried to remove the hand on his genitals, but the instant he did, a sharp jab of pleasure arrowed up to his nipples. This wasn't going to work at all. He was so sexually excited, his hands were shaking. He was pathetic. He couldn't even control his urges when it came to his orange-haired best friend. He glanced down at the hand still hovering over his problem and bared his teeth.

Fuck it. He couldn't go back into their room with _that_ swinging between his legs.

He dug a hand into his boxer briefs and sighed with pleasure as he wrapped long fingers around his straining shaft. He'd try to be quick.

XOXOXO

Ichigo stood at the bathroom door, uncertain of what to do next. Grimmjow was lying his face off. He'd been perfectly fine during the tickle match. Yeah, right up until Ichigo had sprouted a third leg. He hung his head and placed a hand on the metal door frame. What was he going to say to his best friend? I'm sorry Ichigo Jr ruined the moment? No way.

He turned and started to take a step towards his bed, when a sound on the other side of the door made him freeze. He was...hearing things? What the hell was that? He didn't want to snoop, but what if something really _was_ wrong with the idiot? Ichigo pressed his ear to the door and narrowed his eyes in concentration.

For the first minute, there was no sound really. Nothing he could discern over the noisy bathroom fan, anyway. As soon as he went to pull away from the door, he heard it.

"Ahh...shit."

Ichigo snatched his head away from the door and stared at it like it'd suddenly burst into flame. What the hell...really? A blush started at the top of his chest and climbed up to his ears, scorching like boiling water. That was... With a mixture of shame and curiosity – not to mention, a bunch of lechery – he pressed his ear to the door again, eyes wide and lips parted. He was horrible, but he was also a guy. He knew what he was hearing, since he did it himself on numerous occasions. In the shower. In his bed while Grimmjow slept blissfully unaware in his own. Sometimes even in the locker room when it cleared out. He had a libido the size of the sun, and right now that libido was crawling out of its skin with anticipation.

He heard a harsh breath and sucked in air, excitement ratcheting to astonishing levels. The longer he listened, the clearer things became. He could hear almost every grunt and moan coming from the other side of the door, and damned if he wasn't back to weighing a ton between his legs. He sighed and rubbed a hand over himself, eyebrows gathered in frustration. Grimmjow couldn't see him. He wouldn't even know. Hell, the other boy was busy at the moment, anyway.

...But damn. Ichigo was taking "filthy" to all new heights by standing outside the bathroom, not only eavesdropping on his best friend's hand-to-man session, but planning to get off to it as well.

And then he heard a hissed, "Fuck, yes!"

Heat swallowed him whole as choice was snatched away from him. He stuck a hand into his warm-up shorts and gripped his painfully hard arousal. He turned his back to the door, leaned against it, then let his head fall back, eyes rolling shut. He lost himself in the small world Grimmjow's voice had created from inside the bathroom, happily letting the sounds drive him towards a fast orgasm.

Fire quickly built and stacked a tower of pleasure in his groin, until he heard a long moan of, "Oh my Gaaaahhhhd, I love you."

The tower crumbled to the ground. It was like someone poured "instant dick softener" over his head and stomped on his heart while they were at it. As if him having blue balls wasn't enough. He stood frozen in place for a few seconds, the hand on his shaft loosening and falling away. His chest felt like someone was squeezing it mercilessly. He frowned, confused. What the hell had he just heard? Before he realized it, tears were stinging his eyes and making him blink like crazy.

_Love?_

_What the hell is that about? Who...?_

Shit, just thinking about who Grimmjow could possibly love enough to turn into masturbation material had Ichigo's heart in a vice. It was so unfair. The toilet flushing on the other side of the door got his body absently moving back to his bed, where he crawled under the blanket and pulled it over his head. He was having a hard time breathing. The water in the bathroom sink came to life for a minute, then shut off before the bathroom door opened. Ichigo squeezed his eyelids together tightly, pretending to be asleep. He didn't even think he could face his best friend at the moment.

XOXOXO

He felt a million pounds lighter as he made his way with a satisfied smile back into his and Ichigo's shared room. Then, he stopped in his tracks. What the hell? Ichigo was in bed, buried underneath his blanket, head covered and all. Was the orange-haired teen trying to ignore him? Had Grimmjow done something wrong? He started towards his friend's bed, but paused when a knock at the door banged into the silence. Scowling, he made his way over and snatched it open. Surprise littered his features at the visitor.

"Hey, you," a low tenor greeted him.

"U-uh," Grimmjow stuttered stupidly. "What's up?"

The slender blond glanced up at him with a smirk. "I thought you said we were goin' out tonight?"

Grimmjow smacked his forehead, angry that he'd forgotten. "Damn! I'm sorry, 'Forte. I completely forgot."

"Jeez, way ta make a guy feel special, Jag. Love the outfit, by the way."

Grimmjow grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Gimme a minute, OK?"

Ilforte nodded and strolled to the other side of the hall, where he casually leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest. Grimmjow continued smiling as he re-entered the room and carved a path towards his dresser. Step one in heart recovery was under way. Ilforte was another student in Grimmjow's English class, and had been making not too subtle suggestions that they have some fun together. The guy was hot, so Grimmjow hadn't minded at all, especially now that he knew for a fact he couldn't have his best friend the way he wanted. They'd agreed to hang out that night. However, once Grimmjow had seen Ichigo looking so depressed, he'd forgotten all about it. It'd been his duty to cheer the other boy up, since he hated seeing him so glum.

Grimmjow slipped into a pair of warm-up pants, a white tee and a gray hoodie sporting the school's logo. Then he put on his black and white athletic slippers. This wasn't a date-date, so he wasn't going to get dressed up. He started towards the door again, but stopped at Ichigo's bed. Maybe the guy wasn't all the way asleep yet.

"Ich, I'm goin' out. Be back late, alright?" He didn't get a response, so he shrugged and shoved off. He opened the door again and greeted Ilforte with another grin. "Ready?"

The blond smirked and pushed away from the wall. "Yup. Let's go."

Grimmjow shut the door behind himself, deaf to the soft sobbing coming from Ichigo's bed.

XOXOXO

Ichigo trembled uncontrollably as he pressed a fist to his mouth. He was an absolute mess. Tears wet his face and pillow, and his nose ran like there was no way to stop it. His chest ached as he listened to Grimmjow leaving with some guy. Was that...?

He groaned in pain. "Ow," he whispered and clutched his stomach.

Once he was sure Grimmjow was gone, he lowered the blanket from his head and rolled onto his back. There, he stared at the ceiling, tears still painting his cheeks. What the hell? Why was he crying like a big baby? He'd known he couldn't have Grimmjow to himself; hell, he'd even known Grimmjow was a pretty popular guy, so it stood to chance that the guy would find someone he might want to date. It was just that whole _love_ thing that was throwing Ichigo off. He hadn't been expecting that at all. He'd always imagined his best friend as a playboy and remaining that way. _That_ he could deal with. It was still hard seeing the blue-haired teen with a bunch of random people, but it was infinitely better than seeing him with someone he was in love with.

A fresh wave of pain coursed through him, making him launch from the bed, frustrated and pissed off. He needed to talk. He needed to get this shit off his chest. Holding it in was providing him with a slow, painful death, and he couldn't take it anymore. He shoved a pair of flip flops onto his feet and grabbed his keys from his computer desk before going to the door and slamming out of it. After checking to make sure the door was locked, he stalked down the hall, face still wet and nose still stuffy.

The idiot's room was only a short journey to the third floor.

Ichigo bypassed the elevator and took the stairs from the first floor to the third, heart climbing his rib cage and keys digging into the skin of his balled up hands. Sometimes the guy had little sparks of wisdom that Ichigo found rather useful. Maybe this time he'd hear something that could help him through what was happening.

He reached the third floor before he knew it and stomped down the hall. Fourth door to the left was where he paused. He brought his hand up to knock, but the idiot never knocked on Ichigo's door, so Ichigo changed his mind and just turned the knob. Two people mid-horizontal-waltz froze and stared at him staring at them. It was awkward beyond belief. More than that, though, it was simply shocking.

"S-sorry!" he yelled and covered his eyes as he backed out of the room and away from the door.

So, life was only fair for some, it seemed.

Ichigo swallowed forcefully as he stormed back in the direction of the stairwell. However, before he could make it there, his arm was grabbed and his progress halted. He didn't want to look his friend in the eye, too embarrassed, but the other teen was persistent.

"Ichigo, why the hell ya cryin'?"

Ichigo shook his head, yet kept his eyes averted. Then, he carefully licked his lips and pushed words out of his mouth.

"S-since when...you an'...you an' Tatsuki..."

Renji sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yesterday."

Ichigo finally looked up, stunned. "Wh-wha?"

"I told her yesterday. She, uh, she was gettin' ready for a date, an' I got tired a'bein' a spectator. Turned out she was sick a'waitin' for me ta say somethin' too. I almost missed my chance."

The words hit too close to home. Ichigo grimaced and turned away again. However, Renji still had a grip on his arm.

"Ichigo, why ya cryin'? I know it ain't 'cuz a'me an' Tatsuki. Wha's really goin' on?"

"Did you know Grimm had a boyfriend?" he blurted, eyes pinned to the floor.

He was afraid to see Renji's reaction. What if the red head already knew about it? What if he'd been hiding it from Ichigo in order to keep him from being sad? Christ.

"JBG's got a boyfriend?" Renji repeated incredulously. "When'd that happen?"

"So, you didn't know?"

Renji shook his head. "Hell no. He never said nothin' ta me about it."

Ichigo met his friend's eyes. "You're not trying to protect me in some weird way or another?"

"Goddammit, no! What the fuck is that, Ich? Wha's goin' on? Ya still ain't answer my question."

Ichigo grimaced again, but held Renji's gaze. "He's got a boyfriend. They, uh...they left on a date a little while ago."

Renji's following look was blank. "Ich...JBG..." the other teen paused and scratched the back of his head, red hair a mess. "He ain't exactly an angel, ya know? He's been around the block a few times."

"I know that!"

"So, what the fuck makes ya think he's got a boyfriend?" Renji snapped back.

Ichigo's face began burning, and he just knew it was on fire. He wasn't about to tell Renji he'd been listening to Grimmjow masturbating in the bathroom. God, he'd sound like such a creep.

"We...we, uh-"

Renji groaned and rolled his eyes. "Oh God, _please_ tell me you dumbasses didn't kiss again."

Ichigo froze and paled drastically. Renji knew about that? Holy shit.

"How did you know about that?" he asked.

The red head stopped and stared, this time _his_ face going pale. "Uh..."

"Hey, what the fuck, Renji! How do you know what happened in that closet?"

"Just...a guess. Your face was pretty tell-tale."

"Yeah, right. Do better," Ichigo growled.

Renji knew _something,_ and Ichigo wasn't leaving there until he found out what it was.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Renji shifted his stance, and Ichigo caught it. He knew when the red head was lying or hiding something, and right now, Renji was hiding a very _big_ something. Ichigo heightened his glare and put both hands on his hips.

"Eh-heh," Renji chuckled, large hand going to the back of his head. "Ya mean business, then."

"Damn straight. Now talk."

Russet eyes rolled as Renji averted his gaze to the floor. He took a slow, deep breath, then shrugged in obvious defeat. When he spoke, his hands were lifted in front of him, palm-side up. "JBG kinda let that cat outta the bag."

Ichigo arched a brow, surprised. He hadn't expected it to be so simple. What he'd been thinking instead was that Renji had been outside the closet, ear pressed to the door like a juvenile.

So, Grimmjow had been the one to tell?

"Oh," he said.

Renji gave a rakish smirk. "Not that it woulda been all that hard ta figure out in the first place, Ich. The look on yer face was priceless," he chuckled. "I gotta admit, though, I didn't expect you two ta get that far. I was hopin'! Didn' actually think it would happen, though. Ich, you hound."

Ichigo's ears went red about the same time his face flushed in embarrassment. _Asshole_. "You don't have to rub it in, prick!"

"What? You guys are fuckin' dumb, so I had ta do somethin'."

"I knew you were up to no good when you agreed to Nnoitra's idea. Bastard."

Renji shook his head and continued to chortle. "Hey, don' blame _me_ 'cuz you an' JBG are too _stupid_ ta jus' hit the sack tagether."

Ichigo's ears and cheeks burned as he punched his friend in the chest as hard as he could. "You're such a fuckin' jerk, Renji! Besides, Grimm don't see me like that."

Renji tucked his lips between his teeth and ran a hand through his unruly red hair, eyes downcast once more. If Ichigo had been paying better attention, he would have noticed that there was something else the idiot was keeping from him. However, his focus was on the dark-haired girl ambling towards them, an oversized gray sweatshirt her only article of clothing. Tatsuki's dark eyes were narrowed, her hands balled into fists. Her sights were set on Ichigo, and she looked like she meant business.

"What, you don't know how to knock?" she snapped as soon as she closed the distance between them.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head and grinned, face still on fire as he tried unsuccessfully to block out images of a naked, moaning Tatsuki underneath a naked, hip-winding Renji. Way more information than he needed about his friends.

"Sorry. I didn't think I'd walk in on that," he replied.

She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. "I'll kick yer ass if you don't knock next time."

"Oh, don't worry. I learned my lesson."

Renji waved his hands around, eyebrows furrowed and body language agitated. "Hey! Ya can't jus' come outta my room lookin' like _that_! It's hot as _hell_ seein' ya walkin' around in my stuff an' all, but...yer still naked under there, ain'tcha?"

Ichigo looked away as Tatsuki pinned Renji with eyes full of lusty promises. Well. That was pretty obvious. He held up a hand and turned back towards the staircase.

"I'll talk to you later, Renji," he said, and chuckled when he was totally ignored by the grinning couple.

His mind went back to the small panic attack he'd had earlier as the stairwell door slammed shut behind him. The thought of _Renji_ knowing about the kiss with Grimmjow was enough to give Ichigo heartburn. Not because the red head couldn't keep a secret, but because Renji was a total _asshole_ sometimes when it came to teasing. It drove Ichigo nuts. Now, the idiot had enough blackmail material to last them the rest of their University years and then some. It was nerve-wrecking.

Ichigo trotted down the stairs and made his way back to the room he shared with his best friend. After having time to think about his situation, he was glad Grimmjow wouldn't be back until later. It would give Ichigo much needed time to get himself together, mentally and emotionally. He closed and locked the door once he was inside their room, the bathroom his next stop. He needed a shower after using up so much energy, stressing and worrying about who his best friend was in love with.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow eased his hand out of the shorter blond man's grasp with care. He didn't want to hurt Ilforte's feelings, but he didn't want to mislead the guy, either. Turned out the other man was a bit...grabby. Grimmjow was used to getting along with his flings, having sex with them, then leaving it at that. What Ilforte was clearly trying to initiate between them had the blue-haired teen nervous as hell. He didn't want a relationship; he just wanted a distraction from Ichigo. Something that would take his mind off of how much he loved the damned boy. How much he wanted to _fuck_ him. It was maddening.

"Don't tell me you're _shy_ , Jag," Ilforte's smooth tenor cut into his thoughts.

Grimmjow gave him a sideways glare and shook his head. "Nah, I ain't shy. I jus' don' do PDA too often."

Ilforte snickered, but kept his distance. Both hands remained at his sides as they walked back to campus. They'd gone for food at a local barbecue place, where Grimmjow had stuffed himself until he'd felt like he might explode. Ilforte had kept the atmosphere light and tension-free, and he even turned out to be good company, but Grimmjow was preoccupied. Something was wrong with Ichigo. When the boy had walked into their room earlier that evening, his face had been drawn and almost depressed, even while being hidden beneath the towel over his head. Not only that, but the boy hadn't been very forthcoming when Grimmjow had asked what the problem was.

This time had been different.

Not even a guest appearance from "The Grimm" had worked. Of course, following that had been the tickle match from Hell. Grimmjow hid a grimace as he thought about how awkward the situation had become before he'd left with Ilforte. He also wondered if Ichigo was still asleep. God, he hoped the boy was; it would make getting past him a lot easier.

"I didn't see your roommate earlier. He OK?" Ilforte asked out of the blue.

Grimmjow jolted some as he turned his head and met honey-brown eyes. "Huh? Oh, Ichigo? Yeah, he's good. Why ya ask?"

The blond shrugged and arched a careless brow. "You're always together. Just wondered where he was, I suppose."

Sounded fishy, but Grimmjow let it slide. They made the rest of the trip back in silence, both lost in their own worlds, it seemed. When they reached the dorms, Ilforte paused and turned to Grimmjow, eyes sparkling with mischief. The blue-haired teen only had time to frown, confused, before the shorter man was on his toes, arms wrapped around Grimmjow's neck and lips a centimeter away. He started to protest the intimacy of kissing, but Ilforte didn't give him a chance.

He had to admit, the man's lips were soft. Persuasive, even. In no time, he was caught up in the kiss, arms absently going around a slim waist. He didn't pay attention to the few meandering students in front of the gray, stone building. Didn't mind the cool breeze tousling his hair and rustling the leaves of the surrounding bushes and trees that lined the stone path leading to the building's entrance. He didn't notice any of it. Ilforte's tongue was warm and wet and tasted like peppermint chewing gum. It moved like an expert, getting Grimmjow warmed up and returning the arousing oral petting. When the blond man moaned, low and throaty, Grimmjow pulled back, eyes hooded. He had one thing on his mind at the moment and hoped like hell that Ilforte felt the same.

"Where's yer room?" he grunted.

Ilforte gave an impish grin as he tangled the fingers of his right hand with Grimmjow's.

"I'll show you."

XOXOXO

**Three Weeks Later**

"What, you doubtin' me?" Grimmjow growled, way too close for comfort.

Ichigo sucked his teeth and shook his head, exasperated. He started to throw his hands up too, but the look on his best friend's face was enough to keep him from doing it.

"I never said that, stupid! Why do you always put words in my mouth? All I said was be careful!"

"Tha's like tellin' a soldier ta be careful when he's on the front lines. I'm a _football_ player, Ich. Ain't no such thing as 'careful'."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll see you later."

Grimmjow frowned, then shrugged, turning his back to Ichigo as he dug around in his dresser drawer. He didn't even have the decency to say "OK." Ichigo scowled and stomped out of their room. Grimmjow had been acting distant and strange since the night he'd left with _that guy_. Ichigo didn't want to think about what the implications were pointing to, but it was hard keeping his thoughts from wandering in that direction. He knew Grimmjow had someone he was in love with, and since that night, Ichigo had seen the blue-haired boy hanging around a blond man so handsome, he was almost lovely. That had to be the guy. Ichigo took a deep breath, trying to ignore the rolling of his stomach.

_Think about something else. Quick!_

Luckily, he caught a break; Tatsuki was strolling through the first floor hall of the boys' dormitory as if she owned the place, dark eyes alight with devilry.

"Hey, Ichigo!" she called as soon as she spotted him.

He let himself smile. "Hey, Tatsuki."

"You goin' to the game?"

"Yeah, I'm goin'."

Tatsuki's eyes sharpened as she took a closer look at him. "You don't sound too excited about it. You and the big guy fightin' again?"

He lowered his head and shook it. " _Why_ does everybody automatically assume that _he's_ the problem whenever something seems off with me? He's my best friend; not my boyfriend."

"Wow. What'd he do this time?"

_What the fuck?_

"Tatsuki-"

"Oh, come off it, Ichigo!" the dark-haired girl clipped, steamrolling his previous statements. "I dunno who you think you're foolin' with that. Seems like the only person who _doesn't_ know you got a thing for the big guy is the big guy himself. So, I'ma ask you again. What'd he do this time?"

Ichigo gave up. His friends were too fucking perceptive, and there was no real way to get around this confrontation. Especially not with Tatsuki. She was just like her boyfriend in that sense. Pitbulls with hearts of gold.

"It's just..." he started. "Grimm's been actin' funny since he got a boyfriend."

"Funny how?"

Ichigo sighed and tried to find a way to explain himself that wouldn't make him seem like a jealous idiot. "Well...we don't hang out like we used to, and when we do talk, he's-"

"A jerk?" Tatsuki finished for him.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Pretty much."

They headed out of the dorm building and made tracks for the stadium behind the Physiology building. When they'd been in middle school, Tatsuki had been the same height as Ichigo, but now, he stood about four inches over her. Nothing spectacular, but he was proud of his growth. It'd been a little embarrassing being the same height as one of the girls. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and hung from his side, looking ridiculous as she gave her head a solemn shake.

"You meet that guy he's s'posedly datin'?" she asked.

"No. I mean, I've _seen_ him, but we haven't officially met."

"Hmm. I don't know. I've never met him, either, but Renji has." She stopped talking to chuckle. "He doesn't like him."

That was shocking news. Even though Renji could be as brash as Grimmjow, he usually got along with almost everyone. The only person he really had a hard time getting on with was Tsukishima, but that wasn't surprising. Tsukishima was an arrogant prick at times; even Ichigo knew that. It was the reason he'd put so much distance between them. Hell, he didn't need that kind of drama just to get laid.

"Why not?" he asked, getting back on track.

Tatsuki shrugged, lowering her arm from Ichigo's shoulders in the process. "Says he's up to no good, or something like that."

Ichigo chuckled. The guy had probably said something Renji hadn't liked, and thus ended up on the red head's shit list.

The stadium loomed before them, huge and already filled with screaming students. The bedlam was audible from where he and Tatsuki walked way beyond the entrance. They exchanged wide-eyed glances and grinned. Although Grimmjow was behaving like a dick, Ichigo had grown to like the game of American football. Going to the games was still enjoyable, even when he and the blue-haired idiot were on bad terms. Ichigo was growing antsy with anticipation the closer they got to the source of the noise. They crossed the parking lot and were on their way to the double doors, when loud, obnoxious voices stopped them. With a frown, Ichigo turned to see what the cause of all the ruckus was.

A wave of irritation washed over him, fast and strong.

"Well, if it ain't the pretty strawberry all grown up!"

The irritation wave swelled with indignity. Ichigo _so_ wasn't in the mood.

"C'mon, Tatsuki. Let's find some seats before it gets too crowded," he grumbled, ready to get away from the man addressing him in such a demeaning manner.

Unfortunately, it wasn't happening.

"Awww, look, Gin! Strawberry-san's runnin'!"

Ichigo gritted his teeth and faced the pale-haired asshole. The only thing that had changed about him was his height and stature. He was the same height as Ichigo now and a little more solid, but his hair was still ash-white, and his eyes were still a strange combination of gold and black.

"Look, Albino-chan. Why don't you go find a house to haunt or somethin'?" Ichigo snapped.

Shirosaki Ogichi howled with laughter as he drew closer, a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He had on a white, hooded sweatshirt, the sleeves rolled to mid-forearm, emerald-green warm-up pants, and white sneakers. His smile was scary-wide, and his eyes made him look like a maniac.

"Still a jokester, I see," he replied, voice going low and threatening.

His partner in crime drifted into place beside him, ice-blue eyes slitted shut in a too-happy, toothless grin. He was dressed the same as Shiro, but where Shiro was average height and a little stockier, Gin Ichimaru was all thin grace and tall elegance. His silver hair swept across his brow and nearly covered his right eye, making him seem more innocent than he really was.

"Mah, greetin's, Ichigo-san," he said.

Ichigo shook his head and moved away, headed for the entrance. Was his timing rotten, or what? Just his luck he'd made it to the stadium at the same time as the opposing team. And not only that, but he just _had_ to run into a couple of faces he would've been perfectly happy never to see again.

"That ain't _nice_ , ya know!" Shiro stated, voice loud and deliberate. "Gin's jus' bein' friendly."

"Right," Ichigo drawled. "Well, if you don't mind, I gotta go."

"'Ay, Strawberry," Shiro called again, but this time his voice was dead serious. Ichigo met his gaze, wary. "Tell yer blue-haired boyfriend we're comin' fer 'im. Jus' 'cuz he's all big an' shit now, don' mean he ain't gonna get his ass kicked on the field."

Ichigo almost laughed, but was too stunned to let it come out. Was Shiro serious? Grimmjow wasn't just _big_ now. He was fast, strong, competitive. Shiro and Gin didn't stand a chance. But who was Ichigo to rain on their parade?

He snorted. "I'll let him know."

"Tell 'im he's gotta answer ta me too while yer at it!" a deep voice called over the melee in the background.

Ichigo turned back and froze, eyes getting round as golf balls. The man that made his way forward was mountainous. His dark hair was done in four large cornrows – he even had a dark goatee, but his eyebrows were dyed a wild orange. Looking into his eyes was similar to staring into the abyss. Dark and intense. Bottomless and frightening. Yammy Riyalgo had been their former high school classmate, but more importantly, Grimmjow's former teammate. Ichigo had seen with his own eyes the damage Yammy was capable of. He was the only guy on the American football team – aside from Hachi – who'd been able to take Grimmjow down with one tackle. _By himself_.

"Uh," Ichigo uttered.

Yammy just grinned and stalked closer. "Tell yer boy he c'n have the spotlight tonight. All eyes gon' be on him when he's bein' carried out on a stretcher, anyway."

Oh, boy. What the hell had Grimmjow done to piss this guy off? Shiro and Gin were understandable, but Yammy had been a former teammate. Ichigo swallowed the lump rising in his throat as he turned and grabbed Tatsuki's wrist. He pulled her along with him, leaving the bloodthirsty group of ball players behind them. He wasn't afraid, but he knew when to pick and choose his battles. Out in front of the building with no one for back-up but Tatsuki, he was at a clear disadvantage.

But the worst part was: he couldn't even give Grimmjow a heads up about the danger lurking named Yammy Riyalgo.

XOXOXO

"They're on _our_ turf now! And _bulldogs_ don't bow down to _tomcats_!" Tsukishima shouted from his position in the pregame huddle.

"YOSH!" the team responded with more enthusiasm than the flouncing cheerleaders.

Grimmjow grinned like a man with the world in the palm of his hand as Tsukishima's fist shot to the center of the huddle. He was in his element. This was where he _thrived_. Where his adrenaline _rushed_ , and everything narrowed down to the field before him. In a sense, he did have the world in the palm of his hand whenever he played football. The pigskin was his passport, the field his uncharted territory. It was time to explore and conquer once again.

"WHO'S YARD IS IT?!" Tsukishima hollered over the din of the stadium.

"BULLDOGS!" the team chorused.

"WHO'S YARD?!"

"BULLDOGS!"

"BREAK THE CHAINS, BOYS!"

They all imitated two, deep barks as their hands came together in the center of the huddle. After that, helmets were put in place, mouth guards inserted. The opposing team, the Kyoto Tomcats, had won the coin toss and decided to go on the offensive first. No problem. Grimmjow was a well-conditioned machine, playing running-back during offensive plays and linebacker during defensive. As he slid his helmet over his wild blue hair, he glimpsed the stands. The first few rows right above and behind the bulldogs' bench held several familiar faces. The first was Renji's dark-haired girlfriend, Tatsuki. She was on her feet, waving back and forth a royal blue and white banner that sported BULLDOGS across its front. Beside her – but still seated – was his best friend, Ichigo. Not that they'd been the best of friends lately. He couldn't say it was all Ichigo's fault, either. Grimmjow had been so focused on keeping his thoughts out of the gutter when it came to the orange-haired boy, he'd lost sight of their friendship. Not to mention, he had a persistent blond distracting him even further. Ilforte was determined to make Grimmjow his boyfriend, and Grimmjow found it kind of cute. Although, he really shouldn't. He still didn't want a relationship, but he had to admit that what he had with Ilforte was nice.

Damned sure kept his mind off of Ichigo.

Somewhat.

If Grimmjow dropped his guard, he found himself staring a little too long at Ichigo's soft, bright orange hair, or lost himself in syrup-brown eyes. It was even worse when he caught Ichigo after track practice, where the other boy would stumble into their room, dead on his feet before doing the zombie over to the bathroom for a shower. After that, Ichigo would emerge dripping wet and wearing nothing but a measly towel. Grimmjow had a love-hate relationship with that occurrence. He loved watching the boy he was hopelessly in love with, moving around their room, yards of smooth, tanned skin revealed, but he hated it at the same time because it made him want Ichigo even more. As a result, he took his frustrations out on the teen, knowing Ichigo wouldn't understand. Grimmjow felt like his hands were tied, though. He couldn't very well tell Ichigo _why_ he was acting like a heel towards him, and he couldn't keep himself from being such a jerk to begin with.

God, but the expressions on Ichigo's face...

The crowd roared, ripping Grimmjow from his thoughts. His eyes slid over to the last familiar face in the stands behind the Bulldogs' bench. Ilforte was smirking as he held up a large poster-board that read GO, JAG! Grimmjow shook his head as he made his way onto the field. He wasn't very fond of the name Ilforte had decided to crown him with, but what could he do at this point? It was already written on a poster and everything.

Grimmjow situated himself behind the linemen and focused on the field. On his opponents. Then, he paused, a slow grin working its way across his face. He'd spotted some more familiar faces. These faces hit him with a bout of nostalgia so strong, it almost took him to his knees. Instead, he let it fuel the adrenaline already coursing through his system. As he locked eyes with the Tomcats' running-back, his grin spread and morphed into something deranged. Shirosaki Ogichi winked a peculiar eye at him and blew him a kiss from behind the white lines of his face mask.

Oh, this was just too good. In fact, one might call it perfect.

Grimmjow had missed his chance to pummel the snowy-haired asshole in high school because they played in different districts. Districts that didn't go toe-to-toe in the high school sports world, sadly. Shiro and Gin had escaped his wrath that time around, but divine judgment could never be swayed. Grimmjow let his gaze travel over to the silver-haired quarterback smiling that toothless grin at him. Those idiots hadn't changed one bit.

**XxxxxxX**

Gin leaned down and started calling a play, eyes darting left to right. Grimmjow eyed the silver-haired man first before letting his attention follow Shiro. The albino was moving to the left of Gin, and the way his body was poised screamed he was about to be the recipient of a hand-off. Grimmjow grinned. As a linebacker, his job was to sweep up the mess the linemen left behind. So, if Shiro thought he was getting past him, he was fucking crazy.

The ball snapped, and just like Grimmjow thought, Shiro ran by and snatched it. Grimmjow backed away from the linemen, eyes glued to the pale-haired boy dipping towards the sideline.

_Where you think you going?_

He shot over, an internal chuckle echoing through his mind when he realized Shiro thought he had the upper hand. The albino didn't even see him coming. Shiro barely made it to the sixty-yard line when Grimmjow barreled into him, crushing him without much effort. Sure, the pale boy was pretty quick, but Grimmjow was faster. He was bigger. He was _stronger_.

Shiro hadn't stood a chance.

"Motherfucker!" Shiro grunted as Grimmjow climbed to his feet.

With a grin, the blue-haired boy winked back at Shiro and patted the top of the pale-haired player's helmet. After that, he sauntered off to the lineup. Renji grinned and nodded at him as they prepared for the next snap.

"Gin jus' made a boo-boo, JBG," the red head mumbled.

Grimmjow smirked. He'd noticed it too. "Ya want me ta do it? Or you?"

"I'll let ya have this one, but only 'cuz ya missed yer chance in high school."

"Thanks, babe. I owe ya one."

Renji scowled at the nickname before the frown quickly disappeared, and a bright grin replaced it. The grin made Grimmjow _very_ nervous. It wasn't one of Renji's normal, "I'm so goofy" grins. Nope, it was chock full of mischief and bad shit.

"What?" Grimmjow barked, damned near writhing with discomfort. "Why ya lookin' at me like that?"

Renji didn't answer; he just turned and lowered his shoulders as the next play was called. Resisting the urge to leap on the red head's back and bury his body in the hard-packed earth, Grimmjow growled and focused on the Tomcats' silver-haired quarterback. Gin had his eyes glued over the Bulldogs' line, checking the back formation, then the ice-blue slits slid over to the left, obviously eyeing his own men. The ball was snapped, and the next thing Grimmjow knew, Gin was ten feet away from the Bulldogs' line, football poised beneath his chin as his gaze darted from left to right.

However... The silver-haired quarterback seemed to have a bad habit of not moving around enough once the play was in motion.

Grimmjow grinned widely as he locked eyes with Renji again. The red head nodded and shot around to the outside of the shoving and grunting linemen that were making steady progress in the silver-haired quarterback's direction. Shiro had been on his way to Gin's rescue, arms outstretched for a hand-off and mind completely unaware of the fast-moving, 170-pound tight end bearing down on him. Grimmjow smirked as Renji crashed into Shiro with all of his weight, taking the albino to the ground with ease and a smile. That idiot out of the way, Grimmjow slipped through a small space in the line, knocked over the Tomcat that had the nerve to try and get in his way, then lowered his shoulders, wrapped both arms around Gin's waist and tackled the air from the man's lungs.

They hit the grass covered dirt hard, Gin's resulting grunt pained. Their helmets came together with a loud clack of plastic, but Grimmjow ignored the slight jolt of his head as he watched the football leave Gin's hands and bounce a couple times. Heart racing, he scrambled away from the silver-haired quarterback and dove for the still in motion ball. He didn't care how he landed, as long as he got his hands on that wayward pigskin. Fortunately, he did. He snatched it into his arms and curled into a ball, legs tucked under his chin and arms tight against his chest. Not even a second later, numerous bodies piled atop him, shoulder pads and helmets knocking into him hard enough to leave a few bruises. A whistle was blown after a few seconds of the enthusiastic dog pile, giving Grimmjow some relief. The other players rolled away, albeit bearing a grudge and Grimmjow finally opened his eyes and looked around. Two referees dressed in the standard black and white striped uniforms stood over him, arms held in the air, clearly waiting to determine the outcome of the fumble. Grimmjow gave a grin so big it showed all of his teeth as he let the referees see the football secured in his arms. The whistle shrilled again and one of the officials announced the inevitable.

Tomcats' turnover. Bulldogs' ball.

Grimmjow leaped to his feet and was overwhelmed by the rest of his team and a multitude of screams from the stands. They now had the advantage and would be on the offensive from that point. Grimmjow swaggered over to the Bulldogs' bench, mile-wide grin still firmly in place as he grabbed the royal-blue and white sports bottle with his name written across the side from the drinks table. He guzzled the Gatorade inside as he looked across the field at the Tomcats' temporary station. He promptly froze. Before he could even speak his mind, Renji ambled over, russet eyes obviously seeing the same thing.

"Ain't this a bitch."

Grimmjow nodded his agreement. It seemed like this football game was little more than a reunion. Yammy Riyalgo glared daggers across the field at the two of them before giving Grimmjow his entire focus. The hulking giant was sporting a sinister smirk as he lifted one beefy hand to an equally beefy neck. He drew the thumb across it and winked at Grimmjow before heading out onto the field for the next snap.

"Think ya got an admirer, JBG," Renji teased with a sideways grin.

Grimmjow responded with a lopsided smirk of his own. "Looks like it, don't it?"

Back in high school, Yammy had been on the same football team as Grimmjow and Renji. The bigger man had been the only one on the team able to bring Grimmjow down with one tackle. But that was _then_ ; this was _now_. Grimmjow had grown in the game. He knew a lot more and had plenty more experience. He wasn't that eager teen anymore, especially not after being under the instruction of one, Aizen Sosuke. The man was a ruthless leader and left no room for mistakes. Yammy had another thing coming if he thought he was just going to walk all over Grimmjow.

After downing a bit more of the Gatorade in his sports bottle, he set it back on the table and grabbed his mouth guard. But before he could stick it in place, Aizen walked over, clipboard in hand and brown eyes stern.

"Grimmjow-"

"He won't get the best a'me, Coach," Grimmjow grunted.

Aizen paused for a moment, then nodded and went back to his post along the sideline and beside the Bulldogs' bench. Grimmjow moved to slip the mouth guard in place again, but this time was interrupted by Nnoitra.

"Don' worry 'bout that big piece a'shit, Grimmjow. I'll open up the field wit' Renji an' Hachi, then ya c'n blow right by 'im."

Grimmjow shook his head as he turned to the field, eyes narrowed and game face set. "Nah, I got 'im. He wants ta play tag, so he's it. Too bad he ain't gon' catch me."

Nnoitra cackled and slapped Grimmjow's back before they both headed onto the field. The opposition was obstinate and needed to be taught a lesson. Grimmjow couldn't wait to take the role of sensei.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

The stands were in an uproar as the Bulldogs gained possession of the ball. Ichigo jumped to his feet and screamed at the top of his lungs, super excited and proud as hell, despite the fact that he was still ticked off with Grimmjow. His best friend was a careening train – someone Ichigo wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of on his cockiest day. Then, he was distracted by a hard shove. He glanced to his left, incredulous.

"What the fuck?" he snapped, even though he knew no one could hear him over the noise the crowd was making.

The blond Grimmjow was seeing was damned near hanging over the metal railing, hollering and holding up a sign with Grimmjow's name on it. Well, a terrible excuse of a nickname for Grimmjow, anyway. Ichigo had never heard anyone refer to the giant, blue-haired teen as "Jag" before, and he wasn't sure he ever would – it was just that bad.

The idiot was making a spectacle of himself, behaving like a female groupie. Ichigo scowled and turned in Tatsuki's direction. She too was staring at the blond man like he'd lost his mind. Then, she faced Ichigo, and they exchanged bemused glances. What could be said? Sure, it drove a well-sharpened pick ax through Ichigo's chest, having to watch Grimmjow's boyfriend cheering for him, but in the end, there was really nothing Ichigo could do about it. Grimmjow had apparently made his decision when it came down to who he wanted to spend his time with.

Ichigo had been eliminated.

He stared down at the field and watched as Grimmjow readied himself on the offensive line. Tsukishima had the football and was preparing to make the snap to start the play. Ichigo carefully lowered himself into his seat and went silent; a bunch of his enthusiasm had suddenly just disappeared into thin air. The blond guy was still on his feet, still holding that ridiculous sign, and honey-brown eyes were bright with way more excitement than Ichigo could afford at the moment. Depression was beginning to make itself at home, but Ichigo didn't want that, so he shook his head as if it would disperse the heavy cloud settling around him.

"He's a total fanboy," Tatsuki said as she leaned over and nudged Ichigo in the ribs.

When he focused on her face, he grinned at the way she was glaring at the blond man. It couldn't be any clearer that Tatsuki wasn't too fond of Grimmjow's new beau. Like girlfriend, like boyfriend? Hadn't Tatsuki said that Renji didn't like the guy either? Guess it made sense.

"That's not nice, Tatsuki."

"Fuck him! You were here first! I mean, who does this diva think he is?"

Ichigo cracked up laughing. He couldn't believe the girl had gone and called Grimmjow's guy a diva. Ichigo peered at the man from the corner of his eye and immediately stifled a chuckle. Tatsuki was right, though. The blond was extremely attractive, but not in a manly kind of way. No. Let him rephrase. The man was extremely attractive – so much so, he seemed almost unreal. Like a celestial being. He had long, flowing blond hair, sultry amber-brown eyes that were so light they were nearly hazel, and long, toned to perfection limbs. He was too pretty. Too perfect.

Ichigo didn't like it.

Of course, he'd never like Grimmjow with anyone, but this guy was just too much. It was like a blow to Ichigo's ego. Hell, a middle finger accompanied with a brutal hook to the jaw. Not to mention, the blue-haired asshole was supposed to be Ichigo's best friend, but had become more of an enemy in recent days. Ichigo didn't want to pretend that he didn't understand what was going on because in reality, he did. He knew Grimmjow was pushing him aside for the blond; he knew the boy was turning into a bastard because he was so focused on his boyfriend that he no longer had time for Ichigo. Ichigo knew that.

But he didn't _like_ it.

"Tats, it doesn't matter. Grimm-"

The crowd erupted.

Ichigo jumped and gave the field his attention. Grimmjow had the ball in his arms and was making his way down the field along the sidelines, legs pumping and body moving like an eel through water. A Tomcat ahead of him moved to interrupt his progress, but all it took was one of Grimmjow's long arms shooting forward to have the kid sprawled on his back, probably wondering what the hell had just happened to him. Ichigo climbed to his feet unconsciously. He didn't even realize he was standing as his eyes remained glued to his tall best friend. Grimmjow was at the thirty-yard line and moving fast towards the twenty. His momentum was fluid and seemed impossible to stop. A wide grin spread across Ichigo's face as he counted down with the crowd as Grimmjow passed the fifteen, the ten, the five and finally in for a touchdown. The noise in the stadium was so loud and chaotic, one could've mistaken the scene for a terrorist attack. It was bedlam. Mayhem.

Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off of Grimmjow as he performed his end zone victory dance. Since the boy couldn't dance to save his life, it was funny as hell. Renji ran in and yanked at his face mask to bring him down to eye level, while the rest of the team swarmed him with celebratory pats on the ass and helmet.

"YEAHHHH! GO, JAG!"

Ichigo's upper lip curled back on its own. Why had the blond decided to sit next to _him_? It was beyond annoying, listening to the guy yelling that horrible nickname and waving that stupid poster around like he was _entitled_. Like Grimmjow belonged _solely to him_. A grimace stole across Ichigo's face.

Didn't he, though? Didn't Grimmjow now belong to the blond? It was like swallowing hot bullets just thinking about it, but it was true. After all that noise Grimmjow had made about not wanting a relationship and not taking any lovers seriously, here he was dating a pretty boy. Did the guy know everything about Grimmjow the way Ichigo did? Did he know that Grimmjow didn't like sleeping with socks? Did he know that Grimmjow had to have at _least_ three bowls of cereal _everyday_? And he wouldn't eat it unless the milk was ice cold. Did he know the blue-haired boy's favorite colors? His favorite foods? Did he even know that Grimmjow only snored when he slept on his side and back, but not when he lay on his stomach?

Ichigo didn't think so.

He glanced over at the blond at his side and was frozen solid as their eyes met. The guy grinned and slowly lowered his poster; then, his hand came forward.

"Ilforte Grantz!" he shouted over the noise. "You gotta be Ichigo!"

Ichigo's eyebrows drew into an instant scowl. How the fuck did he know that? "Uh, yeah!"

"Yeah, Jag talks about you all the time!"

"That so?!"

Ichigo wasn't sure he wanted to believe that or not. The way Grimmjow had been acting during the past few weeks made him think that he was the _last_ thing on the blue-haired football player's mind. But...he'd play along.

"Hope it wasn't too bad!" he shouted.

Ilforte's smile slipped for a millisecond, but Ichigo saw it. There had also been a distinct glint of something mean in those promising, brown eyes before it was disguised just as fast. Ilforte didn't say anything until the crowd had died down. Once they were seated again, the blond leaned towards Ichigo and talked into Ichigo's ear, voice low and quiet.

"Nah, see, he's never said anything bad about you. And that might be the problem."

The crowd suddenly roared as the Tomcats' quarterback, Gin Ichimaru, failed to complete a long pass. Ichigo let it filter into his mind and out through his ears. He turned the commotion into background noise and faced Ilforte with a blank expression, even though he was tempted to glare at the man.

"Problem?" he repeated.

Ilforte made a big show of sighing with exasperation, like Ichigo was the dumbest person he'd ever run across. It rubbed Ichigo the wrong way and had the hair all over his body lifting with indignation.

"Yes. Problem. I understand you're best friends, but I'm-"

Ichigo threw up a hand, face contorted with disbelief and fury. "Wait a fuckin' minute," he started. "I know you're not about to sit here and give me the 'bitch please' lecture."

Ilforte just stared back, lips parted and blond brow raised.

"Dude," Ichigo growled, leaning into Ilforte's space and cutting off any confusion of whether Ichigo was pissed or not. "Grimmjow is my best friend. Has been for eight years now. Just because you've got a crush on him, it doesn't mean you can try and control our friendship. Who the fuck do you think you are?"

Ichigo felt a hand on his right arm and only realized then that Tatsuki was listening in. He didn't care. He was so pissed, his body was getting hot and his hands were getting all twitchy. He tried taking a few deep breaths while he waited for Ilforte to respond, but it did nothing to calm him down. Ichigo couldn't believe that asshole had the audacity to try and stand between him and Grimmjow. Granted, they weren't acting like the best of friends for the time being, but that had nothing to do with anything. They had been friends for a very long time, and there was no way in hell Ichigo was about to let some pretty punk get in the way of that.

"This doesn't have to turn into a scene, Ichigo," Ilforte said as he held up his right hand. Ichigo gritted his teeth and glared. Before he could get a word in edge-wise, however, Ilforte was flapping his lips again. "I just... I can tell from the way you look at him-"

Ichigo bristled like a harassed hedgehog. Never mind the fact that Ilforte was overstepping his bounds. Never mind that. No, Ichigo's defenses had gone up because how the fuck did Ilforte even know how Ichigo looked at Grimmjow? When had they been around each other long enough for the blond jerk to observe Ichigo's behavior towards Grimmjow? To his knowledge, they never had.

"Are you _trying_ to make me kick your ass?" he snapped.

Ilforte gave him a lazy grin. "My, my. I wonder what Jag would say about that."

Ichigo jumped to his feet at the same time the crowd gasped and cried out in offended dismay. Even Tatsuki was standing, hands covering her mouth in horrified astonishment. Ichigo, confused, turned to the field and seized up, body paralyzed by what he saw. He'd been so focused on arguing with Grimmjow's stupid boyfriend that he hadn't been paying attention to the game. Both teams were fighting like the cats and dogs they were named after, but Ichigo's eyes were drawn to the form lying still along the sideline.

Number six.

Grimmjow.

He was face-down, arms and legs unmoving. He looked like he'd fallen asleep on the field. What the fuck had happened? Ichigo's heart felt like it was in a race. After swallowing a few times, he snapped out of his stunned position and whirled on his heel, completely ignoring the blond following him. He ran up the stairs that would lead to the interior of the stadium, face numb and hands shaking. _What the fuck had happened?_ Why had everything gone to hell in a hand basket? Why had the teams been fighting with so much intent?

Ichigo had been to numerous games, seen numerous penalty flags thrown, but never had he witnessed a game where almost every member of both teams had been brawling like they were in a bar fight. As he made his way through the long hall towards the outer stairwell, he hoped there wasn't anything seriously wrong with Grimmjow. What if Grimmjow had torn something that would keep him from ever playing football again? The blue-haired teen would be devastated, and Ichigo would be crushed right along with him. They might be going through a tough time, but in no way did Ichigo wish something so drastic against his friend. His _best_ friend. The boy he was so in love with, it was painful at times.

Footsteps behind him made him grind his teeth together in frustration, but he didn't slow down. In fact, he sped up. This was his area of expertise. He may not have been in high school anymore, but he was still the fastest guy around. Hell, he worked hard enough for that title during practice, so it wasn't like he was just being arrogant. He turned up the heat and broke into a full-out sprint. He lowered his shoulders and opened up his stride, smugly satisfied when Ilforte fell behind. He dipped around a bend and disappeared through the metal stairwell door, feet hitting the cement floor and sending rapid echoes spiraling into the eerily silent space. Once he reached the basement level, he exploded from the stairwell and into another long hallway. This one would lead him to where he really wanted to be, however, so he never slowed his pace. He was almost to the locker room and the field entrance for the players, when he pulled up short, eyes round as saucers.

The football team's assistant coach was rushing alongside a stretcher being led through the hall by a small team of paramedics. Grimmjow, helmetless and face pale, was spread on the thin mattress, long legs hanging over the end of the makeshift bed. Ichigo felt everything inside him descend to his knees. Grimmjow's eyes were closed, his hair was sticking up in places, but mostly plastered to his head, damp with sweat. Blood crept from a cut over his right eyebrow and his bottom lip was split. Ichigo's breathing spiked as he watched the paramedics push Grimmjow towards the exit. And then he came to his senses when he realized he was being left behind as the literal love of his life was led from the building. Ichigo didn't know whether the guy was hurt somewhere else – it didn't seem like it, but one could never be sure – or if he would recover and be able to continue playing football. No time to stare off into space.

Ichigo jogged along with the paramedics and the assistant coach, heart performing gymnastics in his chest as he alternated looking at Grimmjow and the looming exit. He wanted to ask the assistant coach what had happened to result in Grimmjow being unconscious and the rest of the team fighting like they were trying to save the world. But he figured it could wait. Right now, he just wanted to be sure that Grimmjow was OK – that he could still chase after his dream.

As they left the building, Ichigo noticed the ambulance waiting near the curb, lights flashing and spinning and damned near inciting a riot in Ichigo's mind. He was already close to having an internal meltdown, and the sight of the ambulance just made him panic all the more. The paramedics loaded Grimmjow inside the vehicle, and right when Ichigo went to climb in behind the coach, the coach turned to him with a confused look.

"Who're you?"

"I'm his brother," Ichigo answered without hesitation.

The coach frowned, but nodded and stepped aside. They both settled on either side of Grimmjow as the driver of the ambulance slammed the doors shut and jogged to the front of the vehicle. Ichigo didn't pay attention to the way the sirens blared to life, didn't let the rocking and swaying of the ambulance deter him. He kept his eyes on the blue-haired teen next to him. Grimmjow's left hand was hanging over the side of the stretcher, and Ichigo was sorely tempted to grasp it and hang on for dear life. But he didn't want the assistant coach looking at him like he was a freak.

Even though he was pretty sure the coach knew he was lying about being Grimmjow's brother.

It didn't matter. What did was that Grimmjow turn out OK.

XOXOXO

When he opened his eyes, his temples gave a nasty throb in unison. He shut his eyes against the bright, white lights and the pounding pain assaulting him. His left side was sore, his right eyebrow was stinging like hell, and his bottom lip felt like someone was chewing on it.

Then, he remembered why he was in so much pain to begin with.

That motherfucker, Yammy, had cheated his ass off. The whole team had been in on it, too. From that sneaky weasel of a quarterback, Gin Ichimaru, to that slimy dirtbag of a running-back, Shirosaki Ogichi: they'd all had their hands in that last minute showdown.

It had been Bulldogs' ball. Tsukishima had decided to go for a pass instead of handing it off to Grimmjow, which was fine by him. It wasn't like he was a ball-hog with no character. The wide receiver, Shinji Hirako, had been racing down the sideline near the twenty, when the pass had been completed and he'd run it into the end zone for another touchdown, but at the same time, Grimmjow had been accosted by what felt like the entire Tomcats' team. The first to catch him had been Shiro, and that was only because Grimmjow hadn't been expecting to be tackled at all since he hadn't had the fucking ball.

He'd been so wrong.

Shiro had dived for Grimmjow's ankles, making Grimmjow lose his balance, but not enough to take him to the ground. Then, he'd been attacked by that skinny bastard, Gin, who'd come from behind and grabbed Grimmjow's face mask. That had brought his shoulders forward, leaving his body vulnerable to attack from the side, which was exactly what had occurred. Yammy had barreled into him at what felt like seventy miles an hour, right shoulder lower than the left. Yammy's right shoulder had slammed into Grimmjow's side and ribs hard enough to knock the air from his lungs and make him greet the ground face first. Grimmjow had hit his head, and it'd been lights out after that.

Now, where was he? It didn't feel like the locker room. Too sterile and clean-smelling. That left the hospital. There was no other place that held the scent of rubbing alcohol and vitamins all at the same time. He tried opening his eyes again, vaguely aware of his hand running over something warm and soft, but slightly rough as well. What the hell was that? He managed to get his right eye to crack open and endure the piercing light. He heard some shifting and frowned, but that only made his eyebrow sting even more. He lifted a hand to touch the source of pain, but his wrist was grabbed before his fingers could make contact. That got both his eyes open.

"Don't touch it, dumbass," a familiar voice clipped.

The lights stopped blinding him and allowed him to concentrate on the person sitting next to him.

"Ich?"

Ichigo's brown eyes swam into focus as he scowled over at Grimmjow. "Who'd you expect? The Pope?"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and immediately cursed himself for doing so. His temples throbbed again, making him wince and shut his eyes for a brief moment. God, he wouldn't do that again anytime soon. Once the thumping behind his eyes and over his temples subsided, he glared over at the orange-haired boy.

"Why ya gotta be such a smartass?" he grumbled as he reached up with his free hand to gently prod at the stinging over his eyebrow.

Ichigo sucked his teeth and slapped it away, but it was already too late. Grimmjow had already felt the stiff threads keeping his flesh together.

"How many stitches are there?"

"Five."

Grimmjow touched his bottom lip and when he felt the same material there, he did his own share of teeth-sucking.

"Oh, c'mon," he groaned. "I bet I look like Frankenstein right now, don' I?"

"You scared the hell out of me, and you're worried about what the fuck you _look like_?" Ichigo snapped.

Grimmjow paid close attention to his friend's worried brown eyes and instantly felt bad. He supposed the fact that he'd been unconscious for God knew how long _would_ scare the crap out of the boy. Grimmjow put on his best ashamed face and nodded.

"I'm sorry."

Ichigo blew out a forceful breath and hung his head, hands plowing through his mess of wild, atomic-orange hair. When he lifted his head, he wouldn't even look Grimmjow's way, but it didn't keep Grimmjow from seeing the flushed cheeks and ears. Was he crying?

"The doctor said you might have a concussion when you woke up. Uh, you already know about the stitches. That's it, though. You were lucky."

When Ichigo stopped talking, he rubbed both hands over his denim-covered thighs and let them rest on his knees. After a few beats, he started to stand, but Grimmjow reached over and grabbed his arm.

"I'm OK, Ich."

Ichigo just laughed, which kind of disturbed Grimmjow. Yeah, they were kind of distant at the moment, but that didn't mean that they had to keep it that way. He tugged on Ichigo's arm, until the boy was forced to sit on the bed himself, or fall onto it. Ichigo pried his arm away, but took a seat. Grimmjow slowly, very carefully sat up, trying his hardest to ignore the wave of nausea and the hardcore headache pulsing at his temples and behind his eyes. Maybe sitting up hadn't been such a good idea, but he wasn't about to let Ichigo get away with that mysterious laughter.

"Ich," he stated.

Ichigo kept his eyes on the bed, refusing to meet Grimmjow's gaze. Grimmjow frowned and put a hand on his best friend's knee. He didn't notice the way Ichigo jolted like he'd been hit with a few thousand volts of electricity; he was too busy worrying about the look of despair and desolation on the boy's face.

"Ichigo, look at me," he tried again.

This time, Ichigo's chin lifted and Grimmjow was able to look into those warm, brown pools of emotion. He didn't like what he saw there, either. Ichigo's face was haunted, his eyes red-rimmed and glossy. Even though orange brows were pulled into the teen's signature scowl, there was a resounding lack of heat. Ichigo just looked _sad_. There was no other way to put it.

Grimmjow wanted to hug and kiss him. Wanted to tell him how much he loved him.

But that was bad.

Ichigo was only concerned as his best friend – nothing more. Hell, Ichigo had nearly come undone when they were kids and Grimmjow had fallen from a tree in the park. It made sense that he was freaking out after seeing Grimmjow more seriously injured. Ichigo didn't need Grimmjow coddling him and making moves on him when it was so obvious that the boy was feeling quite vulnerable and scared. He'd feel like such a pervert.

"You gonna be OK?" he asked.

Ichigo winced. "I'm fine," he said a little too quickly.

"You sure?"

"...No," Ichigo said softly, as he looked away. "I was fucking scared to death when I saw you laying there on the field, not moving. And when they put you in the ambulance, all I saw was blood and you still not moving. We got here, and they took you away. I had to sit in the waiting room, wondering if you were alright – if those cuts were the extent of your injuries. I-"

Grimmjow couldn't help himself. He reached forward and pulled Ichigo into his arms, his chest aching in a way he couldn't even describe. Seeing tears welling up in his best friend's eyes and knowing that he was the cause of them was too much for him to bear. He forced himself to breathe slowly. Stay calm. Don't blurt out everything his heart was demanding him to say. Just comfort.

Ichigo buried his face against Grimmjow's chest, his hands holding tight to the front of Grimmjow's jersey as he sniffed quietly and took deep, even breaths. Grimmjow let him have his moment. He was silent as he ran his hand up and down his friend's back in an effort to soothe the other boy's nerves. Grimmjow had only encountered this kind of fear a handful of times in his life, so he could somewhat empathize with Ichigo. Lord knew he would probably be an idiot if something similar had happened to the orange-haired teen.

"I'm OK," he murmured next to Ichigo's ear. "I'm fine."

Ichigo sniffed again, but kept his face hidden against Grimmjow's blue and white jersey. "You didn't look OK to me."

"Doesn't matter, though. I am now."

A few more moments of peace passed between them before Ichigo pulled back and gave Grimmjow a very frightening, very intense look.

_What'd I do now?_

Ichigo's hand came up and gently traced over the tender wound above Grimmjow's eyebrow, their eyes locked together like they were bound by glue. Grimmjow didn't know what to feel first. Should he be nervous? Should he be curious? Or should he wonder if his best friend was going crazy? He didn't know. But...what he did know was Ichigo was close and smelling like a wonderful mixture of his soap and something warm and fuzzy. It was making Grimmjow dizzy.

Then, Ichigo went and made things a lot more difficult to understand. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against Grimmjow's cheek. That presented the boy's bright orange hair that smelled like that girly shampoo he always used. Grimmjow teased him all the time, but truthfully, he liked it. For some strange reason, it suited Ichigo and mingled with his other, more natural scent with perfection. Grimmjow wanted to ask Ichigo what he was up to, but figured he would enjoy the slice of Heaven given to him. He ran his hands up and down Ichigo's sides and tried to calm his racing heart. It was causing his head to throb like crazy.

Ask him if he cared, though.

He was two seconds away from kissing his best friend again and spilling his guts. He wanted nothing more at this moment than to tell Ichigo how much he cared about him – how much he _loved_ him. It was like a constant ache. An overbearing weight on his chest and shoulders. It would probably make him feel a million times better if he just let it go.

"Ahem!" A throat was cleared obnoxiously and loudly from the room doorway.

Grimmjow jumped and looked over, absently noticing the way his hands tightened on Ichigo's waist instead of loosening. Ilforte stood with an arched brow and cold anger in his amber-brown eyes. Grimmjow was so comfortable that he almost ignored the blond in favor of burying his nose in Ichigo's hair. Unfortunately, the decision wasn't left to him.

Ichigo almost leaped to his feet – he stood up so fast. His eyes were wide and...astonished? Grimmjow was confused himself after seeing that expression on his best friend's face. However, regardless of whether Ilforte was standing in the doorway, looking on with clear disapproval, or whether Ichigo was ready to get out of there as soon as possible, Grimmjow wasn't done yet. He gripped Ichigo's hand and gave the boy a level stare.

"Are you OK now?"

Ichigo paused, eyes softening. "Yeah, I'm good. I'll see you later."

Before Grimmjow could say anything else to him, Ichigo strode from the room, brown eyes still a bit too wide and mouth turned down at the corners. Oh, well. Grimmjow would just have to corner him in their dorm room and ask questions later. Right now, he had to put up with a jealous-looking blond. One of the main reasons he never indulged in relationships: jealousy. Maybe it was time for him and Ilforte to sit and have a serious talk. It couldn't really hurt anything, after all.

Grimmjow lay back against the pillows that had been propped up for his comfort. He watched Ilforte glide into the room and take a seat next to him on the bed. Ilforte smiled, and his eyes went all affectionate and concerned, but...Grimmjow didn't feel a thing.

.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

His heart was pounding a mile a minute as he sat on the edge of his bed, hands braced on his knees. His eyes felt like they were seconds away from dropping out of his head, and his body was _still_ trembling. He'd been _so_ close to kissing his best friend, it wasn't even funny. Ichigo gave in to the urge to stand and pace the floor, one hand raking through his hair, the other perched on his hip. His insides felt like a quivering mess, and even though he'd been back in the dorm for over an hour, he couldn't get his body to just settle the fuck down.

"Jesus Christ," he grumbled.

His voice seemed louder than usual since the room was empty and no appliances were running – aside from the mini-fridge in the corner, of course. But the low hum did nothing to distract him from the very pressing issue at hand: he, Ichigo Kurosaki, had almost kissed his best friend, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.

 _Again_.

What a fucking mess.

Ichigo returned to his bed, sat down, but was instantly on his feet again as if the mattress had burned his ass. What was he supposed to do now? No, scratch that. Had Grimmjow noticed that Ichigo's mindset had been programmed to "in for the kill?" Had the blue-haired boy noticed the climbing tension? Holy hell, Ichigo hoped not. There'd be no way to ignore it this time around had something actually happened in that hospital room. That was the _one_ time that Ichigo had been happy to see Grimmjow's blond boyfriend; Ilforte's timing couldn't have been better.

A hard knock on the door drew Ichigo out of his musings so abruptly, he found himself stuck in place, foot raised and eyes glued to the floor. After a few quiet moments, he snapped out of it and started towards the door. However, before he could make it there, the door was thrown open, admitting a filthy, noisy red head, sporting a wide, obnoxious grin. Renji's football uniform was covered with dirt and grass stains, his face was smudged with even more dirt, and he had a cut in the middle of his forehead. But looking at his expression alone, you'd think he'd just won a brand new car.

"What the hell?" Ichigo muttered, confused.

Renji strolled over to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We just kicked the _shit_ outta those assholes that tried to do JBG in! Too bad the game got forfeited!" he nearly shouted.

Ichigo winced and pried the boy off of him. "So, that's what happened? I meant to ask Grimm at the hospital."

"Ya mean ya didn't see what Shirosaki, Gin and Yammy did?"

"I was kind of being distracted."

Renji tilted his head, dark brows pulled into a confused frown, but he didn't dwell on it long because his eyes lit up and he was grinning again.

"Yeah, those clowns knew we were gonna walk all over 'em durin' the game, so they tried ta take JBG out by tacklin' him. They did it dirty, though. Grabbed his face mask and everything."

Anger shot a spear through Ichigo's brain and made him narrow his eyes. Those _assholes_. He stalked over to his bed and plopped down onto it, thoughts shooting in a million different directions. But it suddenly occurred to him that Renji was there for a reason. He had to be because the idiot red head always had an ulterior motive.

"Grimm's not here as you can see," Ichigo drawled, one eyebrow arched.

"Oh, I know! Me an' Tats jus' came from the hospital."

Ichigo sighed and leaned back on his bed, resigned to his fate. Renji was definitely up to something. The boy only _actively_ searched for Ichigo when he had a plot in mind.

"Alright, what do you want?"

Renji eased over to Ichigo's desk and lowered himself into the wheeled office chair, his smirk giving Ichigo the willies.

"So, it suddenly came ta me, ya know? I know I said I wouldn't try anythin' else witchu an' JBG, but I got an idea if yer open ta suggestions."

Well, with a tempting offer like that, how the hell could Ichigo refuse? It wasn't like he actually had to go through with any wild scenario Renji might have come up with anyway. He was just listening.

 _Yeah_.

Ichigo nodded his head and slowly said, "Go on."

Renji's grin got wider as he sat back in the seat and folded his arms across his chest. "Ya see how JBG's got this dirtbag hangin' all over 'im? Why dontcha start datin' a guy too? Exclusively. Not like that shotgun crap ya usually pull, either."

Ichigo automatically shook his head. "Why would I do something like that? I toldja I don't want a boyfriend."

"Stupid!" Renji snapped, punctuating his statement with a slap to the back of Ichigo's head. While Ichigo scowled at him, the red head went on. "Ya _do_ want a boyfriend. Ya want JBG, right?"

Heat rose to his cheeks as he stared at Renji. The guy was right, though. He wanted Grimmjow so badly, he could practically taste it.

"OK, so there's that," he admitted grudgingly.

"Now, if ya wanna get JBG's attention, ya gotta take _yers_ off a' _him_."

The comment lingered in the air like a bad odor. Why hadn't Ichigo ever thought of that? He sat forward and stared down at his lap. Could that actually work?

"JBG's like a toddler, Ich. He needs yer attention at _all_ times, an' he's so used ta gettin' it that he won't know what ta do when it's gone. He jus' don't know that yet."

It made a hell of a lot of sense. Grimmjow hated when Ichigo went out on dates, no matter who the person was. He couldn't stand it. Ichigo rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger, lost in thought. It was worth a try. But that meant he would have to find a guy he liked enough to tolerate that long. As it stood, he didn't know anyone who might fit the bill.

"Ahhh, maaann," he whined. "I gotta go guy hunting now. Thanks, Renji."

Renji just smirked and put his arms behind his head. "You're welcome, Ich! Now, be the go-getter we both know you can be."

"Asshole."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love you too, baby."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at the retard. Unfortunately, Renji just caught the pillow with ease as he cackled like a witch.

"So, where the hell am I supposed to magically find a guy to date? Exclusively at that."

Renji shrugged. "I dunno. Use that big brain a'yers and come up with somethin'."

XOXOXO

**A Couple Days Later**

He didn't know whether he should call it a failure or just sheer laziness. Either way, he hadn't found the energy that was obviously required to get rid of Ilforte. The blond man just wouldn't leave him the hell alone. He followed Grimmjow to practice, to class – hell, even to his dorm room. It was slightly beyond annoying, but he really didn't know what else to do. That evening in the emergency room, he'd told Ilforte that they needed some space. He needed to be alone for a while. The man had nodded and seemed to understand, but the second Grimmjow had stepped foot outside of the hospital, Ilforte had been stuck to him like Velcro.

Grimmjow trudged off the field, helmet in hand. They had just lost a game against the Matsubara Bats, a team they would've beaten with their hands tied behind their back any other day. However, without one of their star players in the game, the Bulldogs' morale had been way down. Grimmjow had been forced to sit out of the game and wouldn't be able to play for another week as a precaution against his recently suffered concussion. He'd tried to argue that he was fine, but Aizen had lain down the law. The head coach would rather have his player back in full health, rather than risk an unnecessary injury.

The Bats had run all over the Bulldogs, winning the game 34-21. What made it worse was the presence of another of Grimmjow's old high school teammates, Kensei Muguruma. The silver-haired guy wasn't an asshole like Shirosaki, Yammy and Gin – in fact, he didn't even gloat. He _did_ make the sting that much worse, though, by coming over to the bench by Grimmjow and shaking his hand, offering his sentiments of hopefully seeing each other on the field during their next game. Grimmjow would have preferred the guy being an arrogant jerk. That way he'd have a reason for the descending sensation in his gut.

The entire team left the field, heads hung low and mouths zipped. They'd had a horrible game and were sure to be chewed out by Aizen when they got to the locker room. Once inside, Grimmjow changed out of his uniform and listened with half an ear as Aizen lectured the team. The man never raised his voice – it was unneeded – but his words hit with a hard impact just by the stern look in his brown eyes.

Renji had his hand in the air to get Aizen's attention, and when the brunet finally gave it to him, Renji said, "Believe me, Coach, this won't happen again. We jus' had a bad game."

Aizen's eyebrow went up, and his head tilted to the side. Grimmjow thought the man was about to scold the red head, but instead he smiled.

"It happens to every good team, apparently. I'm glad you understand that this will be a one-time occurrence, however. Next game I expect much better results. You can go now."

Aizen left the room, and the team's attitude seemed to immediately brighten. There was a lot more chatter and animation as the boys changed out of their uniforms and entered the showers. Grimmjow, on the other hand, seemed to sink into depression. He couldn't get rid of Ilforte, he couldn't play the game he loved for at least another week, and to top it all off, Ichigo was back to avoiding him. This game that Ichigo was playing was becoming a hindrance. Grimmjow had planned to corner the boy and find out what had been on his mind in the hospital room, but Ichigo was making that simple task difficult. Why? Grimmjow had no clue, but he was ready to curse the orange-haired brat to Hell and back.

Grimmjow left the locker room, mind set on a hard drink.

XOXOXO

"How the hell did you guys lose that game?" Ichigo asked, brow pulled into a confused frown.

Renji shrugged as he stuffed a handful of french fries into his mouth. "We just had a bad game."

"Yeah, no shit."

"It's OK, babe. You'll get em next time," Tatsuki soothed with a wicked smirk as she stole a fry from Renji's tray.

Instead of being miffed, Renji grinned and leaned into Tatsuki for a kiss. Ichigo turned away from the sight, stomach churning. He wished he could have what his two friends had. He wanted a boyfriend that would kiss him and do little lovey-dovey things with him. No, scratch that. He wanted _Grimmjow_ to do those things with him. Thoughts like that led him to remember Renji's plan. Ichigo still didn't know who he was going to recruit to play the part of his boyfriend, but figured someone would come along soon enough.

Funny how fate worked.

They were all seated in the back of the local McDonald's, when Grimmjow strolled in, Ilforte damned near clinging to his side like Saran-wrap. Ichigo rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth quietly, but Tatsuki and Renji still heard him and turned to see what had gotten him so annoyed so quickly.

Renji rolled his eyes as well and gave a loud groan. "Ohhhh, Gaaahhhd! Here we go again!"

Tatsuki and Ichigo snickered as Grimmjow approached their table. Blue eyes narrowed and seemed to pierce right through Ichigo as the other boy stared at him.

"Shut up, dumbass," Grimmjow growled at Renji, but his eyes were still locked on Ichigo's face.

Ichigo squirmed and shifted uneasily in his seat. He had a feeling Grimmjow was pissed about his avoidance, but it couldn't be helped. He was afraid that if he was in the same room with the blue-haired teen for too long, he wouldn't be able to control the urge to stick his tongue down the boy's throat...or worse.

Ilforte – always the drama queen – made his presence known by sliding into the seat across from Ichigo and sighing obnoxiously.

"Jag, I'm staaaaarrrving! Let's eat."

Ichigo swallowed the pressing need to roll his eyes again and instead, gave a sideways glance to Tatsuki and Renji. The two grinned back at him, obviously agreeing with his silent declaration of "Oh, God." Ichigo fiddled with the straw to his drink and stared down at his food. He didn't want to look up and give Ilforte the attention he was desperately seeking. He knew the blond was trying to rub in his face the fact that he was dating Grimmjow, and while it royally ticked him off, he didn't want to give Ilforte the satisfaction of knowing that. The long seat Ichigo rested on creaked a bit as another body was added to it. Ichigo didn't dare look over. He knew just by the scent alone who had taken a seat beside him. Grimmjow smelled like clean clothes and Old Spice shower gel. He smelled divine. Grimmjow's body heat drew close and became intense as he leaned over.

"I need ta talk ta ya later. Don' run from me this time."

His voice was so deep and rough, like the guy spent years smoking cigarettes. Ichigo shuddered and tried to disguise it with a quiet cough.

"I don't run-"

"Bullshit, Ichigo. Yer _always_ runnin' from me, and I wantcha ta stop doin' it."

Ichigo finally faced his best friend, already surprised at Grimmjow's tone of voice. He was shocked even further by the arresting look of anger and disappointment in the teen's blue eyes. So shocked, he couldn't move. Couldn't think, couldn't even breathe. He'd seen Grimmjow upset – hell, even pissed. But somehow, this time around, the emotion in his eyes was much deeper. Much more profound. Ichigo didn't know how to respond to it.

"Alright? I'm serious. I got somethin' ta say ta ya that I've been wantin' ta say since I was in the hospital."

Ichigo felt like he had no other choice but to agree, so he nodded slowly.

"OK."

They held each other's gazes for a few more moments, until the spell was broken with a resounding crash in the form of an interfering blond.

"Hey, Jag. Let's get some food."

Grimmjow blinked and turned a glare on Ilforte that was so severe, Ichigo was surprised the blond didn't shrivel up and turn to ash on the spot.

"I'm not hungry," Grimmjow growled.

Their entire group went quiet, including Ilforte. He stared at Grimmjow like Grimmjow had just spoken in tongues. Renji snickered into his drink, while Tatsuki stared with raised eyebrows. Ichigo peered at his blue-haired best friend from the corner of his eye, surprised yet again. Grimmjow was in rare form tonight. He was dressed in a hooded, black sweatshirt, black, tear-away warm-up pants, and black and white athletic slippers. Nothing spectacular, but his attitude made him seem incredibly formidable.

The atmosphere had become almost too tense, until Renji let rip a disgusting belch. Tatsuki fell into a fit of giggles as Ichigo sighed and sipped from his drink. There was something wrong with Grimmjow, and it didn't seem to be the strange situation going on between the two of them. Suddenly, there was a loud commotion at the front of the fast food restaurant. Ichigo's eyes followed the noise and his brows flew to his hairline at the sight of a few of the Bats' team members. Mainly Kensei, who stood at the head of the group, wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt, maroon and gold warm-up pants and white sneakers. His silver hair gleamed under the fluorescent lighting that also caught the glint of the two silver cuffs in his ears, and his thundercloud and honey-colored eyes were mischievous and playful as he smirked at his friends.

He looked _good_.

And then he turned in Ichigo's direction, and their eyes locked. Ichigo jolted and averted his gaze, nervous for some reason. Why did eye contact with Kensei give him a sudden case of butterflies?

XOXOXO

Grimmjow watched helplessly as Ichigo eyed their old classmate. He had to admit that Kensei was good-looking, but it wasn't fair that he'd caught the attention of the boy Grimmjow was so in love with. _Then again_ , he thought, _it's my own fault for not telling Ichigo how I feel about him_. Ichigo's eyes were round with apparent shock. The kind of shock that stemmed from a sudden onslaught of attraction.

How annoying.

Grimmjow's upper lip curled back with distaste the longer he sat and watched Ichigo peering at Kensei across the room. However, even though he thought the passing glances between the two guys were bad, it was nothing compared to the feeling that settled in his gut when Kensei crossed the restaurant and came to a stop in front of their group.

"Yo," the silver-haired teen greeted, voice deep and...cool as all hell. It made Grimmjow writhe with jealousy. "Mind if we join you?"

Although Kensei spoke to the whole group, it was clear his eyes were only focused on Ichigo. Ichigo's ears were turning red as well as his cheeks. It pissed Grimmjow off. He wanted to bark at Kensei, tell him to fuck off and find somewhere else to sit, but he really didn't have a reason to. Aside from the fact that he didn't want the attraction between Kensei and Ichigo to grow, of course.

"Yo, Slick! Sure, sure! Join our little club. We've got room to spare," Renji answered.

Grimmjow absently noticed how Ilforte's eyes were molesting Kensei as well. That didn't bother him. In fact, he hoped Ilforte would turn his attention elsewhere. Hell, anywhere, as long as it wasn't on Grimmjow.

Kensei made himself comfortable on the long seat beside Ichigo, where afterward, he put his arms on the table and turned a small smile towards the orange-haired teen. Grimmjow shamelessly eavesdropped on the following conversation.

"How you been, Ichigo? Haven't seen you in a while."

"G-good. You?"

Ichigo was stuttering. Grimmjow's hands automatically formed fists under the table. Ichigo only stuttered when he was nervous or flustered. In this case, both were bad because it meant Ichigo was attracted to Kensei.

"I've been alright. I heard you and Shuuhei called it quits. I didn't really believe it when I heard about it, though."

Ichigo chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. Grimmjow swallowed a growl.

"Ah, yeah. Things weren't really working out between us. But how did you find out?"

Kensei grinned. "Shuuhei wanted to use me as a rebound kind of thing, but I told him I already had someone I liked."

And there it was. Clear as day. After Kensei had so boldly made that statement, he gave Ichigo a pointed look that plainly told of his interest. Ichigo stared back, orange brows raised and his face turning the same color as Kensei's warm-up pants. Grimmjow couldn't believe what he was seeing. How could something like this happen the exact day he'd resigned himself to spilling his guts to his best friend about how he _really_ felt about him? Who hated him so much?

"Hey, you guys should go on a date!" Tatsuki chirped.

If Grimmjow had been a girl, he would've leaped across the table and torn her hair out by the roots. She'd been looking directly at him as she'd made her suggestion. Did she have it out for him or something? Had he unknowingly done something to land himself on her bad side? He hoped not. He knew how Tatsuki was. Hell, she was a female version of her boyfriend. A pitbull in a skirt. Having that girl as an enemy was equivalent to goading the devil.

"I'm down," Kensei rumbled quietly, only making Ichigo's blush deepen.

Grimmjow wanted to howl at the moon, he was so pissed. This wasn't happening!

"U-um. Wait, this is kind of sudden, don't you think?" Ichigo said, tripping over his words.

"No time like the present, I always say. Here, just give me your number, and I'll call you so we can talk about it, OK?" Kensei went on.

Grimmjow knew the silver-haired guy could be persistent when he wanted to, but at the moment, Grimmjow wished it wasn't so. He wished Kensei would amble away from their table and go about his business. Anything. Just as long as he left Ichigo _alone_.

Ichigo was silent for a couple of beats before he finally nodded and brought out his cell phone.

"Alright. If you insist."

"I do."

The groups were quiet as they watched the two guys exchange numbers, expressions varying from amusement to confusion. If Grimmjow didn't know any better, he would have thought that a few of the guys in Kensei's group hadn't even known that their teammate played on that side of the fence. What a way to find out. Grimmjow was thoroughly incensed. Absolutely livid. He wanted to punch something. Hard. Instead, he climbed to his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets. The resulting look on Ichigo's face made it seem like he was just remembering Grimmjow had even been there to begin with, and that only pissed Grimmjow off more. He couldn't stick around and watch anymore of this.

"I'll see you guys later," he grumbled and started away from the table.

"Hey, Grimmjow, where you goin'?" Kensei called.

"Yeah, JBG, what's up?" Renji chimed in.

The look on the red head's face made Grimmjow want to kick him in it. Renji knew how Grimmjow felt about Ichigo – knew that he wanted the teen for himself, so why did he seem to be OK with what was going on between the orange-haired brat and Kensei? It didn't make sense. It suddenly felt like all of his friends were going against him.

"I don't feel good. Gonna go get some rest."

He glanced at Ichigo one last time and was frustrated by what he saw. Ichigo's brown eyes were confused, but also filled with an underlying happiness that obviously had nothing to do with Grimmjow.

That sucked.

Grimmjow took a few more steps away from the table, but when he noticed Ilforte following him, he pulled to an abrupt stop.

"Stop fuckin' followin' me!" he snapped. "I asked for space, and ya haven't given me any yet! So, lemme be clear, so that ya get the picture! Leave me the _fuck_ alone, Ilforte! I'm done with this shit!"

The whole fast food place went quiet as Grimmjow stormed away, out into the night. He was pissed off and didn't want to be bothered. Nothing seemed to be going his way at all.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Ichigo eased into his dorm room and glanced around for his blue-haired best friend. Luckily, Grimmjow was nowhere in sight. Ichigo wasn't quite ready to be confronted by the bigger boy – not in the mood he had been in earlier in. Grimmjow seemed to be pissed at the world, and his attitude in the throes of a tantrum was nothing to sneeze at.

Ichigo set his keys on his desk and went to remove his hoodie, when his cell phone vibrated and chirped in his pocket. He pulled it free and glanced down at the readout, apprehension causing his muscles to immediately seize up at the sight of "GRIMM" flashing on the screen. Beneath the boy's name was a picture Ichigo had snapped when Grimmjow had been in his natural habitat. It'd been right after a game and Grimmjow had been giving one of his lazy, sexy smirks. He'd been filthy, covered with grass stains and dirt, but he'd also been beautiful. Ichigo hesitantly answered the phone.

"What's up?"

"Meet me by the field. I'll be on the bleachers."

Grimmjow didn't wait for Ichigo to respond before he disconnected the call, leaving Ichigo staring at the phone, heart beginning to gallop. His best friend had told him back at McDonald's that he'd wanted to talk, and this time Ichigo couldn't run from the inevitable. But what the hell did Grimmjow want to talk about? Did it have something to do with the way he'd utterly humiliated Ilforte earlier? Ichigo would admit that the scene had been better than anything in his wildest dreams. The way Ilforte had tucked tail and fled the fast food restaurant had been something Ichigo would keep locked safely away in the recesses of his mind – a little something for his depraved inner demon to giggle madly at from time to time.

The smile that had begun forming on his face slowly vanished. Grimmjow definitely hadn't sounded pleased on the phone. Was he going to take his frustrations out on Ichigo? It was likely. Grimmjow was as volatile a being as they came; Ichigo knew that firsthand. He grabbed his keys and trudged to the room door, feet dragging. He was nervous as all hell. What if Grimmjow didn't want to be friends anymore? What if they had a huge falling out and never spoke to one another again?

_Or what if Renji's plan actually worked?_

Ichigo stopped in his tracks, mind reeling. Could it be? The longer he thought about it, the more he realized it didn't make any sense. He and Kensei weren't even dating yet. Ichigo paused, face getting hot. When Kensei had actively pursued him for his phone number, Ichigo hadn't expected to feel anything at all. Sure, Kensei was smoking hot with his silver hair and bedroom eyes, but Ichigo's heart already belonged to a blue-haired behemoth. Still...the jitters that had overcome him when Kensei had approached him with that deep, sexy voice had been _very_ real.

Ichigo left the room and locked the door behind himself. As he walked to the football field to meet Grimmjow, his mind wouldn't stop going back to his old high school classmate. Kensei was aggressive, but he wasn't pushy like Tsukishima and Shuuhei had been, and Ichigo liked that about him. In fact, there was a lot that he liked about Kensei. The guy wasn't loud and boisterous, but he _was_ cool and laid back. He smelled good, and he could hold an interesting conversation. Maybe with this new plan of Renji's, Ichigo would be able to actually enjoy himself for a change. Who knew?

The trek to the field didn't take long at all. Before he knew it, he was stepping onto the track and heading for the fence that separated the field from the bleachers. He spotted Grimmjow right away by the black hoodie he'd been wearing earlier. He had the hood over his head of bright blue hair, and he was bent over his knees, eyes on the step below him. Ichigo sucked in a deep breath as he climbed the seats. Hopefully, things wouldn't turn ugly for no reason.

He approached his friend and sat down beside him, hugging the hood to his sweatshirt tighter to his neck. It was a bit chilly out, and the wind was starting to slip beneath his clothes. Grimmjow didn't say anything at first, causing the silence to stretch like a rubber band. The night was a nice one, the moon hanging in the sky like a slice of watermelon and the stars surrounding it like grains of sugar in the sun. Ichigo almost forgot what he was there for as he sat enjoying the sound of the breeze whistling through the metal seats. Finally, Grimmjow straightened his back and sighed. He didn't look over at Ichigo, but it was clear that he was about to speak.

"Ichigo, I gotta ask ya a couple a'things. Please, don' lie ta me, an' don' beat aroun' the bush, either. OK?"

Ichigo's stomach fell to his knees. Why the hell did Grimmjow sound so ominous? Like he'd found out that Ichigo was hiding some big time betrayal or something.

"A-alright," he stuttered, nerves shot all to Hell.

Grimmjow faced him and drilled him with that fierce, blue gaze of his. "How serious do you plan ta be with Kensei?"

Ichigo was floored. He hadn't been expecting that question at all.

"Uh...I, uh...I don't know, Grimm. Why?"

Grimmjow looked away with a frown, jaw tightening as he swiped a hand roughly through his hair, causing his hood to fall back in the process. Afterward, he balled that hand into a fist and clasped it with his free one before tucking them under his chin. He sat like that for a few moments, obviously waging a war with his conscience. Ichigo was confused. He really didn't understand what was going through his best friend's mind, and it was starting to drive him crazy. He started to snap at the boy for keeping him in suspense for so long, when Grimmjow spoke up again. He was back to not meeting Ichigo's eyes, though.

"What's our friendship mean ta you, Ichigo? Honestly."

Ichigo swallowed harshly and burrowed into his hoodie. "I don't get what you mean, Grimm. I mean, I thought you knew. We're best friends. Brothers, I guess."

Grimmjow grunted and went silent. However, Ichigo spotted something that further confused him. Grimmjow's face went red and the flush traveled up over his ears. Ichigo frowned.

"Yeah, I guess," Grimmjow mumbled as he hid in his hoodie again. "But..." he started, then trailed off.

"But what? Talk to me, Grimm. I'm kinda lost right now. We've never had a conversation like this before."

Grimmjow's lips parted, and his eyes went glassy like he was spaced out. Or that's what Ichigo thought until he spotted the wetness clinging to his best friend's lashes.

"I jus'-" Grimmjow blurted, voice wavering. His breath shuddered as he swallowed. "I jus'...I don' know, Ich. I don' know what the fuck I'm tryna say."

Ichigo's heart was going _wild_. Grimmjow had never been good with using words to express his real feelings, not even after he'd returned from America. Watching him fumbling over something that was obviously bothering him enough to almost have him in tears was killing Ichigo. So, he reached over, gripped his best friend's chin and turned the boy's face in his direction. Grimmjow's blue eyes were indeed watery, and his expression was absolutely heartbreaking.

"Grimm...what's wrong?" Ichigo asked in all seriousness.

He wanted – no, he _needed_ the teen to talk to him. They had never had this much distance between them. Even though Grimmjow had never been good at talking about his feelings, normally, his actions usually conveyed them well enough. _This_ was just ridiculous. Ichigo lowered Grimmjow's hood and passed a hand through the boy's soft, blue hair. He made sure to keep their eyes locked as he scooted closer.

"Whatever it is you have to tell me, you know you can. I've never once judged you or rejected you, no matter what it was, have I?"

Grimmjow slowly shook his head, a lone tear creeping down over his cheek. Ichigo wiped it away and shook his own head as he gave a warm smile.

"So, why won't you tell me what's making you do this?" he asked, lifting his chin and indicating the tear that he'd wiped away.

Grimmjow frowned as he lowered his gaze and tried to pull out of Ichigo's grip. Ichigo wouldn't let him get away that easily. After a small tugging battle, Grimmjow finally gave in and stared into Ichigo's eyes, which kind of threw Ichigo off balance. He hadn't been expecting to be hit with the full range of emotions that Grimmjow was obviously dealing with. Ichigo spotted sadness, disappointment, fear, uncertainty and something else that he'd only ever seen in the blue-haired boy's eyes during a football game: passion. Grimmjow lifted a hand and carefully removed Ichigo's fingers from his chin.

"I feel like we don' do the shit we used to together anymore. You don' talk ta me, you hide shit from me... I don' know. I guess tha's why I asked what you think of our...our _friendship_ ," he said.

"Grimm-"

Grimmjow cut him off, voice lowered. "I wanna see ya laugh again, Ichigo. I haven't seen a real smile from you since we were _kids_. Ya always seem sad, even when yer happy." He took a deep breath and went on more confidently. "I want the _old_ Ichigo back."

"I don't think I've changed that much."

"Heh. I remember an orange-haired kid, who always had a smile on his face. Who always laughed with everythin' he had in him an' loved life. What happened ta that guy?"

Ichigo averted his eyes and frowned. Had he been _that_ see-through? Yeah, he still missed his mom, but he'd thought he'd gotten better with his blues once Grimmjow had returned. He was still trying to figure out what Grimmjow was talking about, when the boy's body heat was suddenly a lot closer than it had been a second before. He turned his head to find out what Grimmjow was up to and literally came nose-to-nose with his best friend. Ichigo felt like his heart was in the back of his throat. What the hell was Grimmjow doing?

"Grimm?" he whispered, a thrilling fear making him nearly speechless.

Grimmjow closed his eyes and leaned closer until they were sharing breathing space. "Ichigo. I need the truth."

Ichigo felt like his blood was boiling, and his skin was crawling right off his flesh. He was afraid to move, breathe the wrong way – hell, _anything_ that might ruin whatever was going on between him and the boy he loved so much. He was terrified of getting his hopes up, but Grimmjow was so _close_. So _warm_.

"OK," he breathed, his own eyes sliding shut.

Grimmjow's nose brushed Ichigo's gently before he murmured, "How do you _really_ feel about me?"

Ichigo froze. His heart stopped and everything. He felt like all the blood in his body went directly to his toes before his heart restarted, pounding harder than was strictly normal. What was Grimmjow trying to say? Why would he ask a question like that? Ichigo was starting panic. What did Grimmjow know? Had Renji blabbed? What the fuck? But bigger than all of that, was Grimmjow about to let him down easily? Ichigo didn't know anything anymore. If he answered that question with the truth, it would be putting everything on the line. His heart, his life, his love. And what if Grimmjow didn't want him like that? But then again, Grimmjow wasn't acting like he intended to reject him. Ichigo barely resisted the urge to pant as he tried to calm down. He had to clear his head and think.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" he asked, knowing for a fact that he was stalling.

Ichigo could feel Grimmjow's smirk against his cheek. "Yer stallin'."

"Because I'm confused! I don't know where the hell this is coming from!"

Grimmjow pulled back and looked Ichigo in the face, eyebrow raised with...what? Was that amusement? Ichigo was on the verge of a heart attack, while Grimmjow was obviously having a grand old time.

"Why does it have to come from somewhere?"

"What? Grimm, make sense!"

Grimmjow's blue eyes darkened as the amusement left them. "Make sense, huh?"

"Yes! Yes, that would be nice right about now," Ichigo snapped, fear and confusion making him irrational.

"Why is it that every time I ask ya something 'bout us, ya change the fuckin' subject, or ya run from me?"

"I don'-"

Grimmjow sucked his teeth and waved a hand in the air. "Yes the fuck ya do. You _always_ run from me. Ya know, you never used to be like that. I used to have to hide shit from _you_ , never the other way around. What the fuck is goin' on witchu, Ichigo? I'm starting to think ya don't even wanna be around me anymore. Is that whatcha want? Ya want me to leave ya the fuck alone?"

The taller boy climbed to his feet, and Ichigo's heart stopped once again. He was sure by the time the night was over, he would have had a few heart attacks and probably developed a permanent heart murmur. Grimmjow had raised his voice, and the look on his face was scarier than anything Ichigo had ever seen in his life. Ichigo jumped to his feet as well, hands shooting forward and grabbing Grimmjow's sleeve.

"Wait! I didn't say that, did I? Why are you being so defensive?" he shouted.

Grimmjow's scowl was the thing nightmares were made of. He yanked his sleeve out of Ichigo's grasp and started down the bleachers.

"I hate it when ya lie to me, Ichigo," he growled over his shoulder. "You _know_ that, but ya keep doin' it. Obviously, ya don't want me around anymore. If that's the case, I'll jus' move my shit to another room an' let ya have yer fuckin' space."

"Grimm, what the fuck are you _talking_ about? Do you _hear_ yourself right now? You're not even making sense!" Ichigo snarled, his own temper flaring wildly.

He couldn't believe Grimmjow was behaving like such an asshole. Like a kid throwing a full-blown tantrum. It was ridiculous. Grimmjow whirled on his heel and glared at Ichigo.

" _I'm_ not makin' fuckin' sense? _I'm not makin' fuckin' sense?!_ Fuck you, Ichigo!"

He turned and got halfway down the bleachers before Ichigo exploded. He'd had enough.

"Fuck _me_?!" he hollered at his not-such-a-best-friend's back. He couldn't believe Grimmjow had actually said that to him. They had never argued this badly before, and it seemed like there would be no coming back from it. But then, he had to open his mouth and insert foot. "Is that it?! Is that what it's gonna take?!"

Grimmjow came to an abrupt stop in his trek down the bleachers and turned to look at Ichigo like he'd seen a floating apparition.

"What the fuck did you say?"

Ichigo snapped his mouth shut and wanted to swallow his own tongue. What the hell _had_ he said? Oh, damn. He stared back at Grimmjow, wondering what the hell was going through the blue-haired boy's mind. Fuck. Had he really just said that?

"Ichigo! What the hell did you jus' say ta me?" Grimmjow repeated.

He was climbing the bleachers again, and the sight of him moving closer and closer made Ichigo tremble. Well, he'd let the cat all the way out of the bag with that one. What was he supposed to do now? Grimmjow came to a stop on the bleacher below him and still managed to look down at him.

Grimmjow's voice softened as he repeated his question, but only a little. However, it was enough to give Ichigo the backbone he needed. He lifted his chin defiantly and squared his jaw. Might as well go all the way.

"You heard me, asshole. Is that what it's gonna take for you to believe me?"

XOXOXO

Grimmjow stared down at his best friend, heart banging against his ribs. Had he just heard what he thought he did? Ichigo was going to be the death of him, but he would admit that it would be the sweetest kind of death. The brat had pissed him off while he'd been in the middle of trying to spill his guts to him, and he'd been so ready to just let it die. It'd seemed like Ichigo didn't want to be bothered. Hell, all the kid did was lie and dodge Grimmjow's questions, so Grimmjow figured he was a lost cause. It'd hurt more than anything he'd ever felt in his life. He'd been fighting tears and everything. Good thing they hadn't fallen before Ichigo had made his little declaration. And what a declaration it had been, if Grimmjow's ears weren't deceiving him. He was willing to believe anything at this point, so maybe he hadn't heard what he thought he did.

"Ichigo," he started, voice low and serious. "Did you just ask me ta fuck you?"

Ichigo's henna-brown eyes flashed before narrowing. "And if I did?"

Grimmjow's stomach lurched like he was about to run out onto the field for a championship game. _Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo_ , he chanted in his head. They'd been best friends forever; didn't the kid know better than to challenge _him_? He grinned, and he could tell from Ichigo's expression that it scared the shit out of him.

He made sure his voice was syrupy sweet when he asked, "Is that a challenge, Ich?"

The trepidation in Ichigo's eyes disappeared as quickly as if someone had blown out a candle. The orange-haired boy gave a slow smirk and snorted a laugh.

"Heh. Nope. It's more like an invitation, ya know?"

Grimmjow almost swept Ichigo off his feet and threw him over his shoulder. Was he being serious? He had to know.

"Ichigo, you fuckin' wit' me?" he growled.

Ichigo's face went deadpan. "I'm _trying_ to, but you're wasting time talking."

Grimmjow arched a brow. If Ichigo was playing around, it was too late to take it back now. Grimmjow wouldn't hear of it. He nodded as if affirming it to himself before turning and trotting down the bleachers. When he didn't hear any footsteps following him, he glanced over his shoulder and raised a brow again.

"You comin'?"

Ichigo shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket and nodded, eyes alive with determination.

"I'm right behind you."

**XxxxxX**

The walk back to the dorm found them silent as a graveyard. Grimmjow had so much running through his mind, he didn't know where to start. Ichigo had actually offered to have sex with him and was actually going through with it. But what did that mean? Did Ichigo have feelings for him, or did he just want to bone? Grimmjow would be happy with both options, though he _really_ wanted Ichigo's heart. Beggars couldn't be choosy, however. He kept tossing glances at his best friend and soon to be...what? Lover? Fuck buddy? Who knew. All Grimmjow was aware of was the fact that he was about to make good on that invitation Ichigo had extended.

It was half past midnight, so the dorm halls were relatively quiet, meaning, they didn't have to fight to get to their room. _Good_. Grimmjow had butterflies in his stomach, and the closer they got to their room, the bigger those butterflies got and the harder their wings flapped. He couldn't believe this was about to happen.

They made it to the room without incident, and Grimmjow unlocked the door, although he fumbled with his keys a bit. A soft chuckle behind him made him look over his shoulder. Ichigo wore a slick grin, and his brown eyes were warm with affection.

 _Shit_.

"Nervous?" the orange-haired teen quietly asked.

Grimmjow turned his back to the boy to hide his expression as he scoffed. "No. You? Yer not gonna back out on me are ya?"

God, he hoped not. He was inwardly praying and crossing all of his fingers and toes, when Ichigo chuckled again.

"No, I'm good."

The door swung open, and they stepped inside. Ichigo closed the door behind them and locked it for good measure. Grimmjow wanted to dance for joy. If Ichigo was serious about this, it was really going to happen. Grimmjow couldn't wait to get his hands on the boy. He'd fantasized about this for a while now. As he kicked off his slippers, his eyes followed Ichigo over to the dresser where Grimmjow's stereo was located. The teen fiddled with the knobs a bit before music poured into the room, bass heavy against the walls and floor. The song was one Grimmjow was familiar with because Ichigo listened to it all the time. Hell, he even had it as his ring tone. It was called "Last Ones Standing" by Example, a dubstep song with a grinding bass line and rolling and stuttering electronic tunes. In short, it was awesome and even better when played at high volume.

Ichigo hit a button on the stereo again, cranking the volume a little more. Then, he turned to face Grimmjow with a raised brow.

"You're still dressed?"

Oh, Grimmjow _liked_ this game. He liked it a _lot_.

With a saucy smirk, Grimmjow lifted the hem of his hoodie and pulled the heavy, cotton material over his head. He tossed it to the floor without a second glance at it before going for the white tee he wore beneath it. That too made it over his head and to the floor in less than three seconds. The entire time, he kept his eyes on Ichigo. Ichigo grinned and ambled closer, his hoodie making a quick trip to the floor as well, followed by the tee he wore beneath it.

Grimmjow enjoyed the view as they gravitated towards one another. Ichigo's body was sleek and muscular, cut in all the right places from all his years of running track. However, Grimmjow was distracted by the look in those brown eyes. Ichigo was staring at Grimmjow's chest, and his hands twitched like he couldn't contain the urge to run them across Grimmjow's torso. That was fine.

"Whatcha waitin' for, tough guy?" Grimmjow mumbled.

His skin felt so hot, and he was already half-hard at just the _thought_ of what was about to happen. God, he'd never wanted something so badly in his life. Ichigo licked his lips, and it nearly undid Grimmjow. He just wanted to toss Ichigo on his bed and get this show on the road, but figured waiting for Ichigo's signal was a better idea.

"I just wanna look for a sec," Ichigo said, eyes round with obvious admiration. "All this time I've had to peek and shit, scared you'd think something was wrong with me."

Grimmjow frowned and reached forward, grabbing Ichigo's hands. Without any hesitation, he placed them on his chest, palms down. When he did that, it instantly brought Ichigo closer.

"You don' jus' gotta look, Ich. Touch me too."

Ichigo's face finally showed some sign of him being flustered. His skin flushed and the bright red reached the tips of his ears as his hands slowly, carefully traced every ridge of Grimmjow's torso. When the other boy's fingers reached his abdomen, Grimmjow tucked his bottom lip between his teeth and watched, enraptured. Ichigo rubbed his palms over every hard plane, and he got so into it, he started humming under his breath, soft little grunts of satisfaction that made Grimmjow's toes curl with anticipation. And then, Ichigo looked up at him, eyes positively glazed over with lust. Grimmjow's jaw jumped an instant before he pushed Ichigo onto his bed.

He'd never been big on patience, anyway.

As Ichigo bounced a couple times on the mattress, Grimmjow went for the boy's sweat pants and sneakers. He had one hand on Ichigo's left shoe, and the other tugged on the teen's pants by the left knee. Ichigo chuckled as he sat back on his elbows and watched.

"You know, we don't actually have to rush," he teased.

Grimmjow didn't even slow his pace as he tossed one of Ichigo's sneakers aside and went for the other.

"Fuck that," he mumbled.

He was too focused at the moment to think of such trivial things like taking his time. Ichigo's remaining sneaker came off, and Grimmjow tossed that one too before going back to the boy's pants. He tugged hard enough to hear the fabric tear in an unseen location, but he achieved his goal. Ichigo's pants slid down to his ankles, and from there, all it took was one more quick yank to get them onto the floor. Grimmjow climbed onto the bed and sat back on his haunches to eye his handiwork. Ichigo was laying in _his_ bed, wearing nothing but a pair of those plaid boxers Grimmjow liked so much. This time, _he_ licked his lips and moved in for the kill.

He slid on top of Ichigo, kneeing the boy's legs apart in order to fit himself between them comfortably. When he was poised above the orange-haired teen, he grinned and leaned in, closing the gap between their faces.

"Did I ever tell ya I _love_ these plaid boxers a'yers?" he murmured.

Ichigo gave a grin of his own, brown eyes resembling melted chocolate. "Not that I can recall, but...feel free to do so anytime you like."

A jolt of desire raced through Grimmjow as he stared down into his best friend's eyes. Ichigo was _damned_ sexy. Not to mention, Grimmjow could clearly feel the imprint of the boy's arousal against his hip.

"Ichigo."

"Hm?"

"Kiss me."

A blush stole across the bridge of Ichigo's nose as his eyes suddenly turned shy. But he still nodded and lifted his chin to meet Grimmjow halfway, and that was all Grimmjow needed to make his move. He dipped his head and connected their lips. The effects were instantaneous. Everything caught fire and scorched. Lava pooled in his gut and flew through his veins before making a return trip to his groin. Grimmjow grunted in surprise when Ichigo slid his tongue into his mouth. He hadn't been expecting that right away, but it wasn't like he wouldn't embrace it.

Ichigo's arms came up and encircled Grimmjow's neck as he angled his head to the side. The change in posture provided better access and a deeper kiss. Ichigo's tongue was aggressive and sure as he used it to search out every crevice in Grimmjow's mouth. It was heaven. Grimmjow never wanted to stop, and he damned sure didn't want to move. Which was perfect because Ichigo's legs spread even further apart as he moaned and rotated his hips. Grimmjow groaned and ran his right hand down the left side of Ichigo's body. He hooked his index finger in the waistband of those plaid boxers and pulled out of the kiss with a lazy smirk.

"Ya wanna take these off?"

Instead of the sultry tease he'd been expecting from Ichigo, the teen frowned. "Dude, you've still got a whole pair of pants on. These boxers don't come off until you take those off."

Honestly, Grimmjow had totally forgotten that he still had on his pants. He'd been too busy trying to get Ichigo out of his. With a careless shrug, Grimmjow sat up and rolled off the bed with ease. Once he was standing, he grabbed the outside of the legs to the pants and gave a sharp yank. The pants fell away with ease.

"I love tear-away warm-up pants," he commented.

Ichigo's frown disappeared as he outright laughed, and damn if it didn't make Grimmjow's man down under do a little jig. Ichigo's voice was husky and deep and all types of bedroom worthy. It made Grimmjow feel frisky enough to up the ante. Instead of climbing back onto the bed like he'd started to, he hooked his thumbs beneath the waistband of his black boxer briefs and slowly slid them down over his hips. Ichigo's eyes went so dark, they were almost black as he stared, lips parted and all. Grimmjow paused what he was doing, wearing a smirk so filthy, it should've been against the law.

"Wanna see more?" he asked.

Ichigo didn't even seem to hear him. His eyes were glued to the tent in Grimmjow's underwear. That was _so_ hot. He was glad he was getting a chance to see this side of his best friend. A wayward thought entered his mind that he had to boot with the speed of lightning. He didn't want to imagine Ichigo looking at anyone else the way he was looking at Grimmjow. He didn't want to imagine Ichigo looking at _Kensei_ like that.

 _Fuck that_.

He resumed the slow strip tease, pausing once again once the waistband hit just above his straining length, showing off his dark blue pubic hairs. This time, Ichigo did look up with murder in his gaze.

"Stop playing around, and show me your dick already, Grimm."

 _Well, damn_.

Grimmjow did his own share of staring. This damned boy was going to kill him with his feisty attitude. Once he got over his shock, he lowered his underwear to his calves and kicked them the rest of the way off. Ichigo grunted, then whistled.

"I always wondered..."

Grimmjow cocked his head to the side and considered Ichigo's words. If he'd always wondered, did that mean he'd always been interested? Had Grimmjow been right when he'd thought Ichigo had had a thing for him back in high school? Maybe that was just wishful thinking. Whatever. He had bigger fish to fry. He sauntered back to the bed and climbed onto it. However, he sat back on his heels and arched a brow.

"You can take those off now."

Ichigo seemed like he was in a trance as he nodded and went for his own underwear. He didn't tease with his actions, though. He shucked his boxers and tossed them aside like they'd offended him. That was when Grimmjow eased between the boy's legs once more. With all their skin bared, the effect was like sinking into a warm jacuzzi bath. Grimmjow didn't even have to ask Ichigo to kiss him this time around; the teen did it on his own. He placed a hand at the back of Grimmjow's neck and drew him into an open-mouthed kiss that turned heated and erotic within seconds. They rolled their hips against one another, both moaning and groaning like it was the best thing they'd ever felt in the world. And perhaps it was. Grimmjow knew it was for _him_. Not even winning a championship came close to this.

After he'd had his fill of Ichigo's soft lips and wickedly dexterous tongue, Grimmjow pulled back and trailed wet kisses along the boy's hairless jaw. He licked a sloppy stripe down the side of Ichigo's neck, grinning when the orange-haired teen moaned. The noises Ichigo made were one-of-a-kind, and Grimmjow would cherish them in his memory bank for as long as he could. He took his time exploring Ichigo's upper body. He navigated the dips and valleys like an off-road vehicle until he was presented with an already peaked, tawny nipple. Ichigo arched his back as Grimmjow let his breath ghost over the hardened nub. That was all the information Grimmjow needed. Ichigo's nipples were sensitive like a girl's.

 _What fun_.

He circled the right nipple with his tongue before capturing it between his lips and tasting it. Then, he flicked his tongue over it repeatedly, drawing moan after delicious moan from his best friend. The hand Ichigo had at the back of Grimmjow's head tightened into a fist, Grimmjow's hair tangling with Ichigo's long fingers. Grimmjow couldn't get enough of hearing Ichigo's pleasure, so he decided to raise the stakes. He gave Ichigo's other nipple the same treatment as the first before heading lower to tease the boy's navel. He knew for a fact that Ichigo's navel was a soft spot. Anytime he'd tickled his best friend, if his fingers happened to get caught in the small indentation, Ichigo would writhe and shriek like a banshee, so Grimmjow wondered what would happen if he used his tongue.

Just as he'd thought, Ichigo squirmed and moaned so loudly, it almost sounded like a cry for help. That was lovely, but it wasn't what he was looking for. He wanted Ichigo to call his name and say dirty, nasty things to him. Therefore, he was left with one option. He lowered himself between Ichigo's legs and grasped the boy's thighs, spreading them like a book. Ichigo's shaft was perfectly textbook: not too long, not too short; not too skinny and not too thick. His balls were darker than the rest of his skin and absolutely hairless. Did he shave? Grimmjow gave an internal chuckle. If Ichigo did, he would tease him for the rest of his life.

He reeled his mind back to the here and now and dipped his head to Ichigo's sack for an experimental taste. It was a bit musky, but it wasn't salty. Ichigo just tasted like clean skin and _him_. Grimmjow let his tongue grow bolder as he licked with more pressure. Ichigo hissed and rotated his hips, eagerly searching for something. Grimmjow knew exactly what the boy was looking for. He wrapped his fingers around his best friend's dick and brought it towards him. He looked up and almost made a mess on his comforter at the smoldering stare Ichigo was sending him. That was all the encouragement Grimmjow needed. He slipped his mouth over the head of Ichigo's length and gently rolled his tongue around it.

"Oh, yeah, Grimm. Just like that," Ichigo moaned as his eyes slid shut.

Grimmjow grunted and lowered his mouth a bit more over the unyielding member, wetting it with his saliva. He repeated that motion until Ichigo's entire length was covered. Then, he picked up a steady rhythm and sucked harder, faster. He watched the expressions dancing across his best friend's face and felt his own arousal bobbing and twitching with need. He didn't think he would be able to last long enough to get the shorter boy off with his mouth, but nothing was impossible. He picked up speed and added even more pressure, wanting to grin when he noticed Ichigo gripping the comforter like it was the key to life.

Ichigo hissed and threw his head back against Grimmjow's pillows. "Oh my God, this feels so fucking good."

Grimmjow wanted to pull back and ask for further confirmation, but knew he'd probably catch one of Ichigo's knees to the side of his head. Instead, he hummed and slowed his pace for a brief moment, choosing to concentrate more on the head, while he used his hand to stroke and massage what his lips and tongue couldn't reach. He looked up and watched as Ichigo bit his fist, brown eyes squeezed shut. His hips were moving at their own pace, jerking erratically from time to time. Grimmjow wished he could laugh, but he was too busy trying to get more entertaining and hot reactions out of his best friend.

As soon as he went to lower his mouth over Ichigo's arousal again, his hair was pulled harshly, making him scowl and glare up at the orange-haired teen. He backed up at that and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What the fuck was that, Ichigo?"

Ichigo was panting at the ceiling, chest heaving as he gulped down air. It took a moment for him to get himself together enough to be able to form words.

"That..." he started before taking another deep breath. "Was me about to seriously cum in your mouth."

Grimmjow snorted and rubbed the abused spot on his head. "Did it ever cross yer mind that I mighta _wanted_ ya ta do that?"

Ichigo peered at him from the bottom of his eyes, head still pressed firmly onto Grimmjow's pillows. "Well, maybe I didn't wanna cum yet."

"Why not?"

"Dumbass. I'm not a girl, and I don't have multiple orgasms the way they do. Maybe I wanna enjoy releasing my load at another time," Ichigo explained carefully.

Grimmjow chuckled, still confused. "I don't get it."

"I swear your mom dropped you on your head when you were a kid. I wanna cum while you're fucking me! Not while you're blowing me! Get it now, dork?"

Grimmjow fought a blush at Ichigo's crass language, only because as soon as the words came out, he could vividly imagine himself deep inside his best friend. Hot damn, it gave him chills.

"Oh," he mumbled as he scratched the tip of his nose. As if just realizing that Ichigo had chewed him out rather harshly, he scowled and snapped, "And shut the fuck up, smartass."

Ichigo cackled and sat up a bit, reaching forward and placing a hand on Grimmjow's waist. "C'mere," he murmured. "You know I'm just playing."

Grimmjow almost shuddered as he moved in towards Ichigo. He could get _very_ used to hearing Ichigo's voice take on that low pitch and sexy tone. He started to crawl on top of the orange-haired teen, but was pushed none too gently onto his back. Ichigo swung his legs around and straddled Grimmjow's hips, his hands braced on Grimmjow's chest.

"Your turn, right?" he asked with a wicked gleam in his brown eyes.

Grimmjow shrugged. "You don't have to-"

"Oh, wow," Ichigo said, effectively cutting him off. " _You're_ gonna turn down a blow job?"

"Hey! Whatcha tryna say, asshole? You callin' me a whore?"

"I would _never_ ," Ichigo said with mock offense in his voice. "But if the shoe fits..."

Grimmjow reached up and grabbed Ichigo's shoulders, pulling the boy down on top of him until they were nose-to-nose for what seemed like the umpteenth time that night.

"Ya better be glad I like ya," he rumbled before pressing their lips together.

Ichigo grinned into the kiss before he allowed himself to relax into it. Their tongues teasingly played for a bit before Ichigo's lips were on the move along Grimmjow's jawline. The other boy hummed as if he were enjoying himself more than Grimmjow, but Grimmjow highly doubted it. He let his head fall back against the pillows as Ichigo's tongue grew bolder, toying with his Adam's apple and languidly tracing his collar bone. Ichigo sure was taking his time mapping Grimmjow's neck and torso. It was getting the taller teen hot and bothered, not to mention impatient. He arched his back, trying to hint to Ichigo that he was ready for more than just a tongue bath. Well, at least on his chest. He was itching to feel the boy's lips wrapped around another, more intimate body part.

Ichigo dipped his tongue into Grimmjow's navel, then pulled back and blew into the tiny cavern. It made the muscles of Grimmjow's stomach jump, and he found himself trying to wriggle away from the odd sensation.

"What the hell ya doin'?" he grumbled, lifting his head and peering down at his friend.

Ichigo didn't even break stride as he said, "Learning."

Grimmjow was jealous. How could Ichigo sound so cool at a time like this? He, on the other hand, was still internally flustered. He couldn't get over the fact that he was about to get a blow job _and_ have sex with the boy he'd considered just his best friend not too long ago. They'd known each other for so long that it seemed like a scene from a parallel universe what they were doing. Didn't Ichigo feel the same way? Speaking of which, Grimmjow couldn't help but to think of what would happen once all this was over. Would they go back to being just friends, or would they consider becoming more? He knew what he wanted. He wanted to be Ichigo's everything. He didn't mind being the boy's best friend, just as long as he could continue to hold him in his arms. Continue to kiss him and touch him in ways that weren't just limited to occasional hugs and arms over the shoulders.

He was knocked out of his thoughts by a warm, wet tongue sliding along the underside of his dick. He jumped and groaned, taken all the way off guard. Before he could gather his wits about him, Ichigo's mouth was clasped over his arousal and lowering towards his pubes. Now, that was a feat in itself because yes, Grimmjow was an arrogant son of a bitch, but he knew for a fact that he was blessed with what he liked to call a super-sized package. And Ichigo was handling it like the gear shift of a manually driven vehicle.

"Ohhhhh, shiiiiiit," Grimmjow drawled as he watched Ichigo's mouth sink lower and lower. Once Ichigo came to a stop at the base of his length, Grimmjow's back was arched, his mouth was open, and his eyes were enormous. "What the fuck?" he breathed.

Ichigo swallowed and slowly pulled back until he reached the head and did it all over again. Grimmjow dug a hand into Ichigo's spiky, orange hair and tightened his fingers around the strands. With Ichigo's second descent, he added more pressure, while his tongue cushioned the thick vein underneath Grimmjow's shaft.

"Oh my fuckin' God," Grimmjow moaned.

His toes curled as his hips rotated and he guided Ichigo's mouth along his length. He hissed and sat up on one elbow so he could get a better look at what Ichigo was doing. The boy's brown eyes were closed like he'd set up shop in Nirvana and had no intentions of ever returning. His lips were full and wet and the sight was driving Grimmjow crazy. Ichigo sped up, and Grimmjow was positive at this point that the boy didn't have a gag reflex _at all_.

Ichigo wasn't even using his fucking hands. Hell, he didn't have to.

Grimmjow let his eyes roll shut when Ichigo palmed his balls and rolled them around. He moaned again, but it was a little higher in pitch, which scared him. He was about to whine like a chick. He opened his eyes and almost gave the back of Ichigo's throat a shower. The boy's brown eyes were open and focused on Grimmjow. Grimmjow tugged on Ichigo's hair and pulled him off his dick.

"Damn you," he growled.

Ichigo came away cracking up as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "What's wrong, big guy? Can't handle a little BJ?"

"Fuck you!" Grimmjow snapped, embarrassed. "That wasn't a little BJ, you fuckin' Hoover!"

He couldn't believe he'd been about to lose all semblance of his control. Ichigo crawled over him and tried to kiss him, but Grimmjow was pouting, so he turned his head away. The orange-haired teen chuckled and kissed Grimmjow's cheek instead.

"Awww," he crooned.

Grimmjow glared at him from the corner of his eye. "You don' have a gag reflex, do you?"

Ichigo just grinned and kissed Grimmjow's cheek again. "You tell me."

 _Fuck_.

Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo by the waist and tossed him onto his back. "Ya know, you've been talkin' a lotta smack," he said before dipping his head and sucking on Ichigo's neck. He made sure to leave a mark that wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon before he lifted his head and brushed his nose against Ichigo's. "Think it's 'bout time ta cancel that out, hm?"

Ichigo gave a sideways smirk and tilted his head. "Oh, yeah?"

Grimmjow just snorted a chuckle. "You never learn. When ya challenge me, I _always_ win."

"So, prove it."

Grimmjow nodded and leaned across the shorter boy towards his nightstand, where he rooted around in the top drawer. After a moment of blind digging, his hand closed over what he was looking for. He retrieved the bottle of unscented lubricant and left the drawer open in his haste to get back to his smart-mouthed best friend. He gave Ichigo no warning; he just lifted the boys legs and spread them apart. He didn't grin, he didn't tease, and he was sure that was the cause for the sudden widening of Ichigo's eyes. Grimmjow got down to business. When Ichigo issued a challenge, Grimmjow went out of his way to come out on top. This time he planned to do it literally.

He reached down and ran a finger down the seam of Ichigo's ass, inwardly smirking when the boy grunted and pushed his bottom into Grimmjow's hand. _Oh, this is gonna be so much fun_ , Grimmjow thought. He grasped a cheek in each hand and gently pried them apart. Ichigo wound his hips and sighed, and Grimmjow got the picture. At first, he'd wanted to savor the moment, but now...well, shit. He wasn't all hard for nothing.

He flipped the cap to the bottle of lube, poured some over his fingers, rubbed them together and carefully prodded at Ichigo's opening with his index. He glanced up at Ichigo's face and narrowed his eyes, desire hitting him hard in the gut. Ichigo's eyes were closed, mouth opened and head thrown back against the pillows. When the teen licked his lips and went back to panting, Grimmjow used that time to slide his finger home.

"Oh!" Ichigo cried in surprise.

That cry turned into a moan, though.

Grimmjow passed his finger in and out, all the while keeping his eyes glued to his best friend's face. It was the hottest thing he'd ever seen. Ichigo's skin was flushed and covered with a light sheen of sweat, and his hair was sticking to his forehead. Grimmjow grinned. He hadn't even gotten to the really good part yet.

He slid another slicked finger inside of Ichigo's tight passage and gave a quiet grunt when Ichigo moaned lavishly.

"Jesus Christ," he breathed.

Grimmjow used his free hand and worked it over his own throbbing arousal. Ichigo was so tight, but pliant. He didn't think breaching the boy's insides would be painful at all. Most guys couldn't handle the weight between his legs, but if the way Ichigo had sucked him off was any indication, then Grimmjow was sure he was in for a treat.

He leaned over and captured Ichigo's lips with his own before aggressively driving his tongue into the teen's mouth. As he deepened the kiss, he slid another finger inside of Ichigo. Grimmjow refused to let his friend pull out of the kiss, instead taking advantage of the moment and finding every little hiding spot in the oral cavity. He'd had to let his shaft go in order to lean over and kiss Ichigo, but he ground against the orange-haired teen, making sure Ichigo could feel all of his erection.

Finally, Grimmjow ended the kiss, only to move in towards Ichigo's right ear. "Ya ready for me?"

Ichigo whimpered and nodded, obviously unable to speak. Grimmjow grinned again. He'd so won this challenge. He retracted his fingers and pulled Ichigo's legs over his shoulders before lining himself up at the boy's opening. He paused for a second, still unable to believe that this was happening. He was afraid he would wake up and all this would have been just another one of his vivid dreams. But Ichigo moaned, shifted his hips and gripped Grimmjow's forearms that were braced beside him.

"God, Grimm, please," he begged.

His voice was thick with lust – so much so that it was almost hoarse with it. An overwhelming swell of _something_ expanded Grimmjow's chest as he locked eyes with the boy he loved. This was the moment he'd been waiting for since he'd realized that it wasn't just friendship that he felt for Ichigo.

"OK," he murmured.

Grimmjow pressed forward, slowly and very carefully sliding into his best friend. He held his breath at the tight grip that simultaneously pulled him in and tried to push him out. Ichigo gave a loud, open-mouthed gasp and tightened his grip on Grimmjow's arms as his head fell back to the pillows. Grimmjow didn't stop. He _couldn't_. Ichigo's body sucked him under like a riptide. He was fully submerged when he pressed a kiss to Ichigo's knee, doing everything in his power to calm himself down. He wanted to pound into Ichigo, make the boy scream bloody murder, but he decided against it. There was no telling if this would be the only time they came together in this manner, and Grimmjow didn't want to waste it by fucking Ichigo like he was some type of whore. He'd rather take his time with him. For as long as he could, anyway.

Ichigo bent his knees and pulled Grimmjow down for a kiss that seemed to last forever. Grimmjow slowly began moving his hips, gently retreating before burying himself to the hilt over and over. Ichigo moaned and turned his head to the side, eyes squeezed shut.

"Oh my God," he whispered. "You feel so good. Faster, Grimm, please."

Grimmjow felt like he'd just had a hot flash at Ichigo's hushed statements. Everything heated to a boiling point as he shifted into a more comfortable position and did as Ichigo requested. He held his breath as their skin came together and made noises that turned Grimmjow on even more. He winced at the surge of pleasure that came with the increase of pace. He was trying to keep it together, he really was, but Ichigo wasn't helping with his loud moans and breathy pants. He ended up grunting until he was moaning right along with the boy beneath him. Ichigo's hips started moving with him, rolling and pushing forward to greet Grimmjow's thrusts, and that was all Grimmjow could handle. Ichigo was tight, soft and slick from the lubricant, and it felt _so fucking good_.

"Fuck, yes," Ichigo growled. "H-harder, Grimm."

Grimmjow growled right back, sweat forming along his brow he went harder. Faster. Then, he paused and sat back on his heels. He gripped Ichigo's ankles and spread them even further apart as he resumed his previous pace and force.

"Like that?" he rumbled.

Ichigo reached down and wrapped a hand around his painful-looking erection as he nodded and tucked his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Hell, yeah," he groaned.

 _Incredible_.

Grimmjow's breath shuddered in and out of his chest as he watched his friend being taken to ecstasy. It felt even more powerful because it was _him_ that was causing Ichigo to make those beautiful noises. Ichigo's hand sped up, and Grimmjow could see the pressure the other boy added to his own shaft. The orange-haired teen's brows creased as his hips rotated and searched for that added friction that would tip him over the edge. Grimmjow gladly gave it to him. The head of Ichigo's erection was almost purple, and Grimmjow knew it was coming. He pressed forward again, sinking deeper before slapping into his friend all over again.

Ichigo crashed like a wave.

He literally howled and sobbed his orgasm, tears squeezing from beneath his tightly shut lids. Grimmjow hissed and tried with all his might to ride it out. Didn't work. Ichigo's insides were pulsing around him, massaging his length like a back rub, and he couldn't hold back anymore. His own orgasm hit him like a train off its tracks, shocking him with its intensity.

"Ah!" he gasped before trembling all over.

His arms shook as he tried to hold himself up, but it didn't really work out that way. He ended up letting go of Ichigo's ankles and collapsing onto him, breathing heavy and sated. He rested his face in the crook of the shorter boy's neck as he got himself together, not even caring that he was laying in a tiny puddle of Ichigo's pleasure.

That had been the best sex he'd ever had. Might've been because he was desperately in love with his best friend. Whatever the case was, no one would ever measure up to Ichigo. _No one_. He breathed in the teen's unique scent that was mixed with sweat and a hint of himself, and rubbed his hands along the boy's sides. They were quiet for the longest time, Grimmjow wondering what would happen next. Should he just go ahead and tell Ichigo how he felt about him? He knew this whole thing had only happened in the heat of the moment, but he wanted more. He didn't want to let this be the last time they made each other feel this way. It took him a few minutes to catch his breath and gather his courage. When he did, he tentatively cleared his throat.

"I should've told you out on the bleachers how much I love you, Ichigo."

He held his breath and waited, praying Ichigo wouldn't laugh at him and brush his confession aside. When the seconds continued to tick by with no response, he lifted his head and looked into his best friend's face. Ichigo's eyes were shut as he slept peacefully, clearly exhausted. Grimmjow shook his head and chuckled before resting his head back along Ichigo's collar bone and wrapping his arms around Ichigo's waist.

He'd tell him when he woke up.

**XxxxxxX**

Grimmjow jerked out of his sleep, wondering why he was even awake in the first place. He looked around, confused. Ichigo was still asleep beside him, his body warm and comfortable. Grimmjow grinned as he recalled what they'd done a few hours ago. He could certainly get used to this. The trilling of his cell phone alerted him to the reason he was up. He slowly climbed out of the bed, careful not to wake Ichigo, and made his way over to his discarded warm-up pants. He dug into the pocket and pulled his phone free before glancing down at the screen. He frowned when he didn't recognize the number.

_Who the hell?_

"Hello?" he answered.

"Hello? Is this Grimmjow Jaegerjaques?" an unfamiliar man asked.

Grimmjow's frown deepened. "Yeah, who's this?"

"This is Dr. Kisuke Urahara from the Karakura General Hospital. I'm calling on behalf of your mother, Retsu Unohana. She collapsed at work this evening."

Grimmjow sat down hard on the side of his bed, mouth open in shock. He couldn't even think, but his heart was racing madly.

"Is she OK?"

He had to know.

"She's fine, but she's been pushing herself too hard with work. She was severely dehydrated when she was brought in. She needs a lot of rest, but she should be OK."

Grimmjow felt like he sighed with his soul. The relief washed over him, leaving him weak and trembling with residual fear. What the hell? His mom had told him she was doing perfectly fine. Why was she working so hard?

"She asked me not to call you because she didn't want to worry you, but I couldn't in all good conscience do something like that."

"Yeah, thank you. Can you tell her I'll be there in a few hours?" Grimmjow asked quietly.

"Sure. I'll see you when you get here."

"Alright."

Grimmjow ended the connection and covered his face with his hands. Jesus Christ, that had scared the shit out of him. He took a few deep breaths to collect himself before lowering his hands and looking over at his still sleeping best friend. He sighed and reached over, shaking the orange-haired boy awake.

"Ich," he called.

Ichigo grumbled in his sleep and turned onto his side. Grimmjow grinned at the endearing sight and shook the teen's shoulder again.

"Wake up, sleepy head."

Ichigo huffed and cracked one brown eye open, glaring at Grimmjow from the corner of it.

"What?" he croaked.

Grimmjow crawled back onto the bed and wrapped Ichigo in his arms. Ichigo turned to face him with a sleepy smirk, and Grimmjow couldn't resist kissing him.

"What? You wanna go another round or something?" Ichigo asked.

Grimmjow snorted and chuckled. "I never knew you were such a freak, Ich. But, no. I gotta go back ta Karakura for a bit."

Ichigo frowned. "What for?"

"My mom. They said she collapsed at work or something. I jus' wanna go an' make sure she's OK, ya know?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course. Tell her I said hi and that I hope she feels better."

Grimmjow nodded and kissed him again. When he pulled back, he stared at Ichigo until Ichigo scowled at him.

"What now?"

"About what we did..." Ichigo's blush was immediate as he averted his gaze. Grimmjow gripped his chin and turned him back. "Don' do that. I wanna know. Did you have sex with me jus' ta prove a point, or was it somethin' else? Tell me the truth."

Ichigo looked like he wanted to cry, but he slowly shook his head and took a deep breath.

"I-it was something else."

Grimmjow's heart rate sped up again. Was Ichigo saying what he thought he was? Hell, he needed to be sure.

"Somethin' else like what?" he asked.

Ichigo squirmed in his arms, but pressed on. "I...I...I..."

Grimmjow gently squeezed Ichigo, encouraging him to get his words out. "Tell me," he murmured.

"...Grimm, I love you...and _not_ just as a friend or a brother. I _love_ you."

Grimmjow let the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding go and pulled Ichigo into a hug. "Fuckin' finally," he sighed. "God, I hoped you would say that." He leaned back and once again met Ichigo's bright gaze. "I love you too, Ich."

Ichigo stared at him like he was Jesus Christ himself for a few moments before he chuckled. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I-I, I just... Dude, I've been in love with you since you came back from America. This shit feels unreal," he ended with another laugh.

Grimmjow smiled. "I kinda had a feelin' back then, but then I thought ya liked somebody else. Threw me off."

"I always knew you were an idiot," Ichigo said, an amused gleam in his eyes.

"Hey!"

This time, Ichigo hugged Grimmjow. His face was tucked into Grimmjow's neck when he stated, "But you're _my_ idiot now."

Grimmjow liked the sound of that.

"I can live with that."

They lay that way for several minutes before Grimmjow thought of something.

"Sorry I can't make it ta yer meet tomorrow."

Ichigo shook his head and ran his hand through Grimmjow's hair. "It's OK. I'm sorry I can't come with you to check on your mom. I really would come, but this next meet is the qualifier for the finals."

"You don' gotta explain it ta me, Ich. I know ya woulda came if you could."

Silence reigned for a couple of beats before Ichigo broke it.

"Is it bad that my mind was in the gutter with that last sentence?"

Grimmjow cackled and shook his head. Yeah, he could _really_ get used to this.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**Two Days Later**

Ichigo slammed the door to his shared room and tossed his duffel bag onto his bed. Afterward, he followed, flopping backwards onto the soft comforter. He threw an arm over his eyes and sighed deeply. He already missed Grimmjow. It'd only been two days since he'd last seen his best friend, but it felt longer. Heat crept up his neck and over his cheeks as he recalled their last moments together. He really couldn't believe he'd gone through with his initial offer. Sure, the results had been spectacular, but he was still in a mild state of shock.

He chuckled to himself as thoughts of Grimmjow's bigger body and large hands tormented him. He was pitiful. He and Grimmjow had only had sex that one time, and here his body and mind were desperately yearning for the blue-haired football player. It could have been described as pretty pathetic, but Ichigo didn't care. He was on cloud nine, floating along a current of bliss. Mountains of stress were behind him, and he felt like a thirty ton weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It felt infinitely better to have told Grimmjow his secret, than to still walk around with it hidden in his closet. And what a surprise! Grimmjow returning his feelings had been the last thing Ichigo expected. Sex was one thing. It was driven by hormones and pure instinct. Hell, anyone could have sex. But Grimmjow had returned Ichigo's confession of love as if it had been completely natural. And maybe it had. How long had Grimmjow been feeling that way towards him? When had he started? These were all questions that had been plaguing him for the past couple of days, and Ichigo couldn't wait to ask the blue-haired boy upon his return.

Ichigo rolled onto his side and glared at his pillow. How long did Grimmjow plan to stay in Karakura? They'd spoken over the phone a few times since Grimmjow's abrupt departure that night, and of course, Grimmjow had tried to be reassuring, but Ichigo was still concerned. If there was one person that Grimmjow cared about more than himself, it was his mother. Retsu was like another mother to Ichigo, so he worried about her well-being as well, but he knew that his best friend's state of mind couldn't be good. Grimmjow was OK at hiding his emotions when he wanted to, and Ichigo was almost positive that this was one of those times. He'd been uncommonly serene and calm, which was like a glaring red flag in Ichigo's opinion. Ichigo wanted to call Grimmjow again, but he was sure the taller boy wold curse him out for the frequency of check-ups. However, Ichigo was minutes away from boarding the next train to Karakura to drag his friend back to campus. It might make him seem like an insensitive asshole, but he'd be willing to wear that title if only it meant having the boy he loved at his side again.

A sudden chirping from his duffel bag made him start. He glanced at the bag with a frown. He didn't know who could be calling him at this time of day. He reached into his bag and grabbed his phone, a grin spreading his lips nearly ear to ear.

"Hey," he answered.

"What's up?"

It seemed like his entire body went warm as Ichigo turned onto his side and curled up with his pillow and his cell phone.

"Just got in from practice. How's Ms. Retsu?"

Grimmjow sighed, and Ichigo could hear the frustration that filled it. "She's so damned stubborn. She just got home from the hospital, and she already wants ta go back ta work. The doc' said she needs ta rest for at least another week, but will she listen? A'course not. I dunno what ta do, Ich. If I come back ta school, she's just gonna go back ta workin' herself ta death."

Ichigo honestly didn't know what to say. What _could_ he say? If he tried to be reassuring, Grimmjow might think he was being patronizing. But, on the other hand, if he tried to convince the other boy to come back to school, it might be taken as insensitivity. So, he decided to remain quiet, his mind tormenting him the whole time. Finally, after a long few moments, Grimmjow broke the tense silence.

"I dunno know if I can come back right now, Ich. I might have ta take a leave of absence er something."

"What? B-but what about football? What about your classes?"

Grimmjow sighed again, this time with more resignation than frustration. "What am I s'posed ta do, Ichigo? If I don't stay...my mom..."

"I get it."

He was trying his hardest to battle the abrupt weight of despair that was clawing at him. What did that mean for their new-found relationship? Was it even a relationship? They'd only had sex once, so did that count? He was afraid of finding out, especially now that Grimmjow didn't think he was coming back to school. When would Ichigo ever see him? And what did that mean for Grimmjow's football career? The boy practically breathed the sport. What would he do without it? Ichigo was at a loss.

Grimmjow sighed yet again, but this time a growl was underlying. "Yer mad, ain'tcha?"

"What? No!" Ichigo blurted before chuckling to hide his distress. "Dude, I'm fine. Just, uh...just focus on your mom, you know? She needs you right now, so-"

"Yer a shitty liar."

Ichigo stopped rambling and pressed his lips together. Since when had Grimmjow become so perceptive? Ichigo closed his eyes as he sat up and rubbed the space between his eyebrows.

"What d'ya want me to say, Grimm? I can't force you to do anything, and I wouldn't want to anyway. Besides, you gotta do what you gotta do, right?"

Grimmjow was silent for a long few moments, but when he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion.

"I'm sorry. I didn' think I would hafta stay."

 _So, that seals it, then_ , Ichigo thought. Stinging heat gathered behind his eyes as he swallowed and took a moment to get himself together. He could always take some time off to go and see Grimmjow on the weekends if he didn't have a track meet. It wasn't as though he would never see his best friend again. But the distance did spell doom for their budding relationship. Everything was still too new, and they were still trying to figure things out. Weren't they?

Why wasn't Grimmjow even trying to let him know that everything between them would be fine?

Ichigo wanted to be reassuring; he wanted to be supportive and loving and all of that sentimental shit, but he was only human. There was a selfish demon inside of him, climbing up his throat and threatening to break out of his mouth. He fought for as long as he could, but once two tears crept down his cheeks, he couldn't fight anymore.

"So, that's it?" he asked in disbelief, his voice cracking. "We're not even gonna talk about...about us? I mean, Grimm, what happens now with you all the way in Karakura?"

"Ich...I would give _anything_ ta be there with you right now. I would. But I jus' _can't_. My mom needs me-"

"You're throwing away everything you worked your ass off for, just to-"

Ichigo stopped mid-sentence. There was no way he could say what he'd had in mind, though, he really felt that it was unfair of Grimmjow's mother to worry her son to the degree that she was. She knew how her son felt about her, knew that he would do any and everything he could for her. So, why would she insist on working herself into an early grave? What was she working so hard for?

"Just to what?" Grimmjow's voice was low and deadly, and it raised the hairs on the back of Ichigo's neck. Ichigo already knew that nothing good would come of this conversation. "What were ya gonna say?"

"Never mind, Grimm. Just let it go."

"No. What were you gonna say, Ichigo?"

Ichigo threw a hand up. "Your mom's not being fair to you, Grimmjow! She knows the lengths you go to for her, so why the hell is she doing this to you?! Hell, to herself?! It doesn't make sense!"

"You selfish mother-" Grimmjow started, but seemed to catch himself. "It doesn't fuckin' matter, OK? She's my _mother_! I ain't gonna sit here an' watch her work herself ta death because _you_ want me around!"

All anger dissipated, leaving nothing but unbridled _hurt_. Yes, Ichigo had known that casting any negativity towards Grimmjow's mother was asking for trouble, but he hadn't expected Grimmjow to snap at him as if Ichigo was a stranger. He was struck speechless. He couldn't even breathe; how was he supposed to form words?

Ichigo leaned forward over his knees and covered his mouth, tears freely marching down the sides of his face. How could Grimmjow tell Ichigo he loved him, only to turn around and hurt him so badly?

Grimmjow sighed for the umpteenth time that night. "Ichigo, it's not...I didn' mean it the way-"

"I can't believe you just said that to me," Ichigo croaked. His stomach felt hollow, and his chest felt like he'd just taken a booted kick. "I can't..."

"Ich, listen-"

"No! Haha, no way, dude. I get it, you know?" Ichigo paused, sniffing loudly. "This... _whatever_ it is between us now...it means absolutely nothing to you when it comes to your mom. I could compete with another guy or even a chick if I had to, but...I can't...I can _not_ compete with your mom. I don't stand a fuckin' chance! So...knowing that you don't give a shit about me _or_ what I want, feel free to _fuck off_!"

Ichigo didn't even wait for a response before he ended the call and stared blankly at the opposite wall. What the hell was that? He'd been anticipating hearing from Grimmjow, excited at the mere thought of having the teen return his feelings. And now this? What was he supposed to do now? Clearly, Grimmjow wanted nothing to do with him, and that was alright.

Ichigo chuckled, the sound bleeding into outright laughter, and that morphing into heart-rendering sobs. If it was alright, why the hell did it hurt so damned badly?

XOXOXO

Wow, he'd fucked that up. Grimmjow lowered his phone to his bed and ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. Why couldn't Ichigo just understand that Grimmjow needed to be there with his mother? The woman was so stubborn! And Grimmjow had no idea why she was working herself so hard. She wouldn't tell him, no matter how many times he asked. She was persistently close-mouthed. Maybe if he could figure out the root of his mother's exhaustion, he'd be able to fix the problem. As it stood, he would have to take a leave of absence from school and football, just to make sure she wouldn't go back to working herself to dehydration. It was absolutely _killing_ him. He couldn't imagine not playing the sport he loved so much, couldn't imagine being away from campus for so long, away from his friends.

Away from Ichigo.

Grimmjow winced. Ichigo was pissed, and he completely had the wrong idea. It wasn't that Grimmjow didn't want to be with him. Hell, he loved Ichigo more than he could express, but when it came to his mom? There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. She had provided him with a childhood that wasn't totally miserable. Sure, they'd struggled. Sure, he hadn't had many friends. But he got through it, and it was all because of her.

 _That's not true_ , his conscience supplied. _Ichigo played a major role in that too_.

He huffed and leaned over his knees. His stomach was churning, and his head was beginning to pound like a drum. What if Ichigo really thought he didn't care about him? He hadn't meant it like that, dammit. Grimmjow picked up his cell and hit Ichigo's number again. The line rang three times before the boy's voice mail picked up, clear proof that Ichigo had ignored the call. Grimmjow huffed again and called once more. Same results. This time, he left a message.

"Answer the phone, Ichigo. We need ta finish this conversation."

He let a few minutes go by before he tried again, but when he did, the line didn't even ring. It went straight to the answering system. Grimmjow hung his head and sighed. As if he didn't have enough to worry about with his mother, now he had to add Ichigo to his list of troubles. Why couldn't he just catch a break? All this time, his mom had seemed fine; once he and Ichigo had confessed to one another, everything had immediately started falling apart. The timing was absolutely dreadful.

"Is everything alright, honey?"

Grimmjow jumped a little and turned to face his mom. She was standing in the doorway of his room, her hand braced along the frame. Her dark-blue eyes were filled with concern, but Grimmjow was more worried about her. She'd lost some weight, making her lounge clothes swallow up her thinner body. She was barefoot, and he noticed that even her feet seemed more narrow.

"Everything's fine, Ma. You OK?"

She eased into the room and sat down on the bed beside him, her eyes never leaving his. Once there, she reached up and rubbed the side of his face, her fingers trailing beneath his eyes before sliding up and into his hair.

"Sweetie, you look exhausted," she said softly. Then, she frowned. "And I...I heard what you were saying. Was that Ichigo you were talking to?"

Grimmjow froze as he stared into his mother's eyes. What had she heard exactly? Was she upset? He scoured his brain, trying to recall every detail of his conversation with Ichigo. Had he said anything that would make her think that there was more between them? As much as he loved his mother, he didn't quite know how to tell her that her only child was in a same sex relationship. Her hopes for grandchildren were pretty nigh hope _less_.

"Y-yeah...that was him."

She sighed and lowered her hand to her lap. "Grimmjow, you don't have to stay here with me. I'll be perfectly fine."

"Like ya were when ya worked yerself until ya passed out?" he retorted, glad that she hadn't suspected anything. She frowned again, this time her gaze steely and intimidating. However, before she could get a word in edgewise, he asked, "Why won'tcha tell me what's goin' on, Ma? I mean, maybe I can help 'er somethin'."

"Because it's not something for you to worry about. I'll be fine, I said."

"So, there _is_ somethin' goin' on?"

"Grimmjow-"

"Ma! I love ya ta death, ya know that! But I'm jeapordizin' my football career an' my life here, an' you won't tell me squat! It ain't right! I think I deserve ta know _somethin'_!"

His mother pressed her lips together and focused on her hands. She was quiet for a few moments before she slowly shook her head and looked into his eyes again. Her lashes were wet with tears that refused to fall.

"I can't," she whispered. "I've come this far without..." she paused and shook her head again. "I can handle this."

Now, he was _really_ worried. Grimmjow put his hands on her shoulders and gently shook them. "Ya gotta tell me, Ma. I ain't gonna be able ta rest until ya do."

Suddenly, she was on her feet, her hands on her slender hips. "I will _not_ have this conversation with you, Grimmjow Roderick Jaegerjaques! I said to leave it alone, and I _mean_ it!"

With that, she whirled on her heel and stormed from his room, leaving him with a heavy heart and a headache. What the hell was he going to do with her? Now, he knew exactly where he got his stubborn streak from. She wasn't making anything easy, and all Grimmjow wanted to do was help her. Didn't she realize that? Ichigo's words came back to haunt him, making him grab his cell and call the boy again. Just like before, it went straight to the teen's voice mail. Frustrated, Grimmjow threw the phone onto his bed and gripped his bangs with both hands.

What could he do about this situation?

XOXOXO

"Wow. Who died?"

Normally, Ichigo could deal with Renji, but today was a little different. He glared at the red head over a small table at the back of the campus library, but he didn't speak. Maybe Renji would get the picture and let him be alone with his miserable thoughts.

Negative.

Renji pulled out a chair, turned it backwards and plopped into it. He rested his chin on the back of it and quirked a tattooed eyebrow. "Ya gonna tell me, or do I gotta annoy it outta ya like usual?"

Ichigo sighed and closed his laptop. Ignoring Renji was futile. Seriously, it was like trying to catch a fly with chopsticks.

"I really don't wanna talk about it, OK?" he grumbled.

"C'mon, Ich. You know me better than that, right?"

"Renji, now just _isn't_ a good time."

"I beg to differ! Now, spill."

Ichigo shook his head and lowered it to the table with an audible thunk. Who was he fooling? He had no one else to share his troubles with, and Renji could be a good listener when he tried hard enough.

"We had sex."

A loud clatter scared Ichigo into lifting his head, his eyes wide. Renji was on his feet, his chair abandoned on its side on the floor. His hands were on his head, and he looked like he was bursting with anxiety.

"Th-that's great news, ain't it?! Why ya lookin' like you're at a funeral?"

"Shut _up_ , idiot!" Ichigo hissed as he glanced around the library. People were staring at them with frowns of clear disapproval. "Sit down!"

"Holy shit," Renji breathed, but he also righted the chair and lowered himself into it. This time, he leaned onto the table, russet eyes enormous and excited. "When did this happen? Ya gotta give me details! No, wait. You can skip the actual man-love bit, but I gotta know what's goin' on! I can't believe it finally happened!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at his friend's enthusiasm. He wanted to share Renji's obvious joy, but the way he and Grimmjow had fought over the phone the other day, still had his heart in a vice and his gut in knots. He took a deep breath and leaned closer as he lowered his voice.

"That night after we left McDonald's and Kensei gave me his number-"

"Hey, I toldja it would work!"

"Would you be quiet and let me talk? I thought you wanted to know what happened?"

Renji raised his hands in surrender and nodded. "Touché."

"Anyway. After that, Grimm wanted to meet up and talk. I didn't know what was going on, but we all knew he was pretty pissed about something, right?" Renji nodded. "So, we met up by the football field bleachers and...it was _weird_. He started asking me questions that, at the time, didn't make a bit of sense. What did our friendship mean to me? How serious was I going to be about Kensei? Shut up," Ichigo interrupted the words that almost made it out of Renji's mouth. The red head grinned and sat back in the chair, arms folded across his broad chest, and grin smug. "I didn't get it. But then, he asked me how I really felt about him. It caught me off guard, so I got defensive, you know? Well, he got defensive too, and one thing led to another, and next thing I know, we're arguing."

"Awww," Renji crooned. "You two are so stupid together. It's adorable."

"You know what? Never mind."

Renji cracked up. "Alright, alright," he finally said. "I'll be good."

"Jesus _Christ_. You're a child, you know that?"

"Finish the story, dude! Shit, I almost want popcorn for this."

"God, anyway. In the middle of the argument, I said something that, uh, kinda...well, it was an invitation, OK? So, needless to say, he didn't ignore it, and we ended up going back to our room and having _awesome_ sex."

"OK, so if it was so _awesome_ , why the hell do you look like someone shit in your ice cream?"

This was the hard part. Thinking back on Grimmjow's harsh words made unwanted tears sting the backs of Ichigo's eyes. He swallowed the lump of anguish forming in his throat and stared at his friend. How could he put into words just how deeply Grimmjow had hurt him? He supposed he should explain to Renji first how they hadn't _just_ had sex; they'd confessed love for one another. His stomach hollowed again, and it was all he could do not to fall apart. Where had everything gone wrong?

"Ich, you don't look too good. Talk ta me, man," Renji said, his voice a lot more gentle and concerned than it had been.

"He-" Ichigo started, but cut himself off when his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again, this time discreetly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "He asked me afterward if it was just sex for me, and he told me to tell him the truth. So, I did. I told him what I'd been keeping bottled up inside for I don't know how long, and you know what he said to me?"

Renji's face paled. "That jackass! If he said it was just sex-"

"No," Ichigo interrupted. "He told me he loved me too. In fact, it seemed like he'd been waiting for me to tell him that for a while."

"I don't get it, Ich. Ain't that what you wanted?"

"Of course! A-and I was fuckin' ecstatic! But then, he got a call that night from Karakura about his mom. She had collapsed at work from dehydration, so he left to check on her. He hasn't been back since."

"And you're worried that he _won't_ come back or somethin'?"

Ichigo shook his head. "Not just that. We, uh, we talked on the phone the other day. It wasn't pretty."

Renji blew out a deep breath and ran a hand through his long, red hair. "Couples argue all the time, Ich. That ain't nothin' ta worry about."

"Couple? I don't even know what the hell we are, Renji. He wouldn't tell me anything, and we didn't get a chance to discuss that issue before he left. And wh-when I talked to him...he said he's not comin' back to school. That he has to stay in Karakura with his mom to make sure she doesn't overwork herself again. When I told him it wasn't fair that his mom was making him worry so much, he snapped at me. He basically told me that he didn't care what I thought when it came to his mom. I haven't spoken to him since."

"Man...," Renji grumbled, his expression frustrated. "This is just too much. Even _I_ can't understand it. What crappy timing."

"You're tellin' me."

"So, what happens now? Have you tried calling him?"

Ichigo shook his head with a scowl. "I'm not calling that insensitive prick!"

"What? Why not?"

"Don't tell me you don't think he was wrong for that!"

"Of course not, idiot. But you can't blame him for being stressed out. You told me yourself that his mom is his world. How can you fault him for defending her?"

 _Goddammit_ , now was not the time for Renji to make sense. Ichigo had a love/hate relationship with Renji's random spurts of rationality and wisdom. Right now, it was definitely in the hate zone. He didn't _want_ to understand where Grimmjow was coming from. Not after the teen had lashed out at him so harshly. Not after he'd made it seem easy to brush Ichigo aside. But then again, Ichigo knew firsthand that Grimmjow was nearly demonic when it came to his mother. Truthfully, Ichigo _did_ understand. He was just being selfish.

"Ugh!" he scoffed. "I hate it when you're right."

Renji gave him that smug grin again. "S'OK. I get that all the time."

Ichigo sighed, not at all looking forward to talking to Grimmjow, but hoping that their next conversation would go better than the last. Just as he went to reach for it, his phone went off in his pocket.

"Oh-ho-ho! Could it be?" Renji teased.

Ichigo just rolled his eyes as he pulled the cell from his pocket. He gulped as he read the name across the small screen. _Crap_. It wasn't who he was expecting. He hit the green phone icon and said, "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey, what's goin' on, Ichigo? I tried to wait for you to call me, but I got a little impatient. I catch you at a bad time?"

Ichigo shook his head and gave a confused Renji a haunted look. "No, I'm just at the library."

He'd almost forgotten about Kensei.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow had just finished the dishes, when the house phone rang loudly. He glanced at the kitchen wall phone, but before he could move towards it, his mother shouted from her bedroom.

"I got it!"

Arching an eyebrow, he dried his hands on the yellow dish towel draped over the rim of the sink. That was odd. His mother rarely got phone calls, and when she did, she was never so anxious to answer. There was something going on in his old home, and Grimmjow didn't like it. His mother was being way too secretive, and, frankly, he was determined to find out what the hell it was that she was hiding.

He quietly made his way to the wall phone and was oh-so careful about lifting it from the cradle. He put the old-fashioned receiver next to his ear and shamelessly eavesdropped on his mother's conversation.

"We've given you more than enough time, Retsu. The boss is getting impatient," a rough, male voice snapped.

Grimmjow immediately bristled at the harsh tone, his jaw clenching with fury. Who the fuck was this talking to his mother that way?

"I-I know. I'm _so_ sorry. I'm working as hard as I can, but I can only make so much at my job."

"The boss doesn't like excuses. You decided to take on your husband's debt, so it's now _your_ responsibility. We could easily take the house, but the boss is being nice. When can we expect the next payment?"

Grimmjow felt bile rising in his throat. This man smacked of yakuza, from the condescending tone, down to the intimidation tactics. What the hell had his mother gotten herself into? His grip on the receiver tightened as he bared his teeth in a silent snarl. He wanted to rip this guy's head clean off his shoulders for threatening _his_ mother that way.

"I'm _trying_. I just came from the hospital yesterday, so I need at least another two weeks for the next payment."

The man sighed, his voice coming out as a low growl. "Fine. Two weeks. No later than that."

"Oh, _thank_ you. Thank you _so_ -"

The man had already hung up, so he didn't hear Grimmjow's mother's desperate thanks. Grimmjow replaced the receiver back in its cradle, his heart thudding with caged ire. He wanted to hit something. Hard. So, _that_ was why his mother was working herself nearly to death. She had a fucking yakuza loan shark asshole on her back for the debt Grimmjow's father had left behind when he'd died. This was too much. He definitely couldn't go back to school now. There was no way. He'd be afraid for his mother's life. What if that yakuza jerk decided to go back on their agreement? What if he tried to hurt her?

Grimmjow sat down hard at the kitchen table. There was only one thing he could think to do. He had to call his uncle.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

_Sometimes wanna be your lover,  
Sometimes wanna be your friend,  
Sometimes wanna hug ya,  
Hold hands, slow-dance while the record spins,  
Opened up your heart 'cause you said I made you feel so comfortable,  
Used to play back then, now you all grown-up like Rudy Huxtable,  
I could be your Bud, you could beat me up,  
Play-fight in the dark, then we both make love,  
I'd do anything just to feel your butt,  
Why you got me so messed up?  
I don't know, but you gotta stop trippin',  
Be a good ... now, turn around, and get these whippings,  
You know you like it like that,  
You don't have to fight back,  
Here's a pillow - bite...that,  
And I'll be settin' separate plays,  
So on all these separate days,  
Your legs can go they separate...ways..._

_-Usher, Lil Jon, Ludacris_

Onwards...

XOXOXO

When Ichigo pushed past the doors of a quiet cafe not too far from campus, he felt like a burglar. His eyes were everywhere, taking in all of the patrons who were more than likely unaware of his presence. His heart was beating at the back of his tongue, and he felt like he was doing something worthy of a long jail sentence. He couldn't help it. When he'd agreed to meeting up with Kensei, he'd felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. How could he have predicted Kensei being so eager to hang out with him after not even seeing one another since high school? Not that that was all that long ago, but still. It was the principle of the thing. Now, there was the added bonus of Ichigo being somewhat kinda sorta involved with Grimmjow. They hadn't verbally made anything official, but they _had_ made love declarations, which in Ichigo's book, meant they were as good as going steady.

He took his time walking through the small establishment, noting the romantically muted lighting, the soft, eggshell-colored walls and toffee-colored, hardwood floors, along with the slow jazz playing in the background. All in all, the place screamed date. He spotted Kensei's silver hair at the back corner of the cafe, muscular body seated comfortably in a caramel-brown booth. Nerves shooting every which way, he strolled over, trying to pretend that his heart wasn't climbing into his throat.

"Ichigo," Kensei greeted with a smile, and even though Ichigo's heart was set on a blue-haired giant, it warmed him by several degrees.

Kensei really was a good-looking guy.

"I almost thought you weren't gonna make it," he went on.

Ichigo cleared his throat as he took a seat across from the football player. "Nah, I just got a little hung up with some homework I'd forgotten about."

Lies.

He'd finished all of his assignments in hopes that Grimmjow would return and they could spend all their free time together. Ichigo fiddled with the string on his light-brown hoodie, avoiding the honey-gray gaze he was certain was fixed on him. Kensei must have known something was up, but he was good about it. Instead of drawing up in offense, he chuckled and leaned back against the booth cushion, arms folding across his broad chest.

"You look really nervous, ya know?"

Ichigo blew out a hesitant breath. "I do?"

"Yeah. Ya look like you're about to scram outta here any second now."

He laughed. Kensei didn't know just how right he was. Ichigo was so uncomfortable, he felt like Satan at a church banquet. But this had been his idea to meet up with the guy. It was only right that he tell Kensei the truth about Grimmjow. However, when he finally decided to look the other young man in the eyes, he felt paralyzed with guilt. Kensei was staring at him, expression open, friendly, warm and oh, so inviting. How could Ichigo let him down without hurting his feelings?

What he hadn't anticipated was Kensei's perceptiveness.

"I guess I'm too late again, huh?" Kensei rumbled, a devilish gleam in his hazel eyes.

Ichigo frowned, confused. "What?"

"That idiot finally made his move, right? That's why yer so nervous?"

"Uh..."

"Look, it's alright, Ichigo. I get it. I was just hopin' I still had a chance with you, but if you an' Grimm-"

"Holy _shit_ , how do you know that?!" Ichigo blurted, eyes wide.

Kensei chuckled again, the sound angling directly to places Ichigo thought he'd reserved for Grimmjow alone. "Anyone with eyes can see how much you guys like each other."

Just how many people knew how they felt about one another before _they_ even did? Well, before they'd admitted it, anyway. The fact that Kensei, a guy Ichigo hadn't been close with at all, could see what he'd been trying to hide for so long...well, it was embarrassing as hell.

"What the fuck," he grumbled, tucking his chin into his hoodie as he studied the table in front of him. "I can't believe this."

"It's nothin' to be ashamed about, right? I mean, you guys've known each other forever. It kinda makes sense when you really look at it."

Ichigo nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. If that was the case, then why...

"How come you asked me out if you already knew how I felt about Grimm?"

This time, Kensei paused and blew out a deep breath. "Honestly? I just like ya. You're a sarcastic little shit, but it's funny. And you're hot. Like, _really_ hot. So, why not?"

The fire that spread over Ichigo's face should have turned the booth into volcanic ash. Kensei really thought that way about him? Yeah, he'd called him a sarcastic shit, but it was kind of a compliment. Not to mention, it was true. God, he was so embarrassed. He'd never had anyone call him hot to his face, but he had to admit...he liked it. A lot.

His lips pressed together in a shy smile as he met Kensei's imploring gaze. "I feel like an ass for making you come out here."

"Nah," Kensei said, hurriedly waving away Ichigo's words. "No harm done. I figure we can still be friends, right?"

Friends. Ichigo knew what Kensei was really trying to say. Kensei was willing to ride the bench while Grimmjow was in the game, but if things didn't work out...Kensei would be there. While Ichigo thought that was extremely unfair to Kensei (hell, Kensei was way too good-looking to be hung up over him), if that was what the silver-haired young man wanted, then who the hell was Ichigo to tell him no?

"Yeah, friends sounds good."

Kensei's eyes sparkled as he grinned. "Good."

XOXOXO

Grimmjow stared at the clock on the microwave, willing the time to pass. He was still livid over the phone conversation he'd eavesdropped on the night before. How could his mother not tell anyone about what was going on? Uncle Mayuri alone could have helped her a long time ago. He couldn't believe she wanted to go through dealing with the yakuza on her own. It was fucking ridiculous.

He tapped his fingers on the table and sighed, completely restless. One part of him wanted to barge into his mother's bedroom and confront her about the situation, but another part of him advised him to wait for his uncle's arrival. When he'd spoken to the older blue-haired man, Mayuri had been silent the entire time. At the end of Grimmjow's distressed explanation, however, Mayuri had quietly told him he was on his way. Honestly, the soft-spoken words had sent chills up Grimmjow's back. He'd never actually experienced his uncle serious before, let alone angry.

Now, Grimmjow had to play the waiting game. The only time he considered patience a virtue was on the football field, and even then, it was occasional.

"Honey, what are you doing?"

He jumped. He'd been so distracted with wondering when his uncle would arrive that he'd allowed his mother to creep up on him. Unfortunately, he was still resenting the fact that she hadn't told him what was going on, so when he turned to face her, his eyes were hard, his mouth grim. Retsu flinched, a look of offended confusion racing over her gentle features.

"What's that look for?"

Grimmjow slowly came to his feet and closed off any route of escape she might use before he growled, "When were ya gonna tell me ya had yakuza assholes breathin' down yer neck over dad's debt, Ma?"

At first, she recoiled, panic evident in her dark-blue eyes, but that only lasted for a few seconds before she was glaring at Grimmjow in a way he hadn't seen since he was a kid. Even though he felt the invisible pressure of her mastered motherly glower, he forced himself not to be intimidated. Which, when he thought about how much danger she'd been putting herself in, it wasn't too hard to do.

"Huh?" he urged, edging closer.

"You stop this right now, Grimmjow," she growled.

"Um, yeah, _no_. Are you fuckin' _crazy_ , Ma? You don't know what those guys're capable of! They-"

"That's enough!" Retsu shouted, tears springing to her eyes. "I won't let them do to you what they did to your father!"

The silence that followed her words could only be described as dense. Thick as a heavy fog. Grimmjow stared at his mother in disbelief and shock so profound, it was almost traumatizing.

"What?"

Retsu sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes before taking a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Why do you think I encouraged you to follow your dream? Your father wanted the same thing, but the Oomori Group had other ideas. They made him throw his games, used him up until there was nothing left, and then they killed him. They killed your father, all because he wanted to be his own man and not their pawn."

Grimmjow retreated to the kitchen table and sat down hard, air whooshing out of him and blood rushing to his head. He stared at the floor, still shell-shocked. A gang had killed his father? Was that why he didn't really remember much about the man? Aside from their mirror looks, his father's overwhelming height and deep, booming laugh, Grimmjow couldn't recall many details. He had questions for years, but before he could voice them, his mother continued, voice unsteady.

"I thought when you told me you wanted to play American football that it would be fine. You didn't seem to be in danger because you were so small. I knew they wouldn't take you seriously, so I encouraged you. I just wanted you to be happy, sweetheart, but then...well, you came back from America looking just like your father. I couldn't _believe_ how much you'd grown. And once you told me you still wanted to be a football player, I knew. I _knew_ they would know and interfere, and the whole thing would start all over, this time with my only child. I absolutely would _not_ let that happen, so when they came calling, I bargained with them. I asked them to allow me to pay whatever debt your father had left behind in exchange for them leaving you alone. It was the only thing I could think to do at the time, Grimmjow. You have to understand."

Grimmjow held up a hand, tears running down the sides of his face and a lump lodged in his throat. He felt like such a dick for cursing at his mom and being angry with her. All his life, she'd done nothing but try to protect him as he chased after his dream. He swallowed and closed his eyes, hurt crowding him like rush hour traffic.

Was that why he'd never really gotten to know his father? The man had been too busy keeping the fucking yakuza away from his family. _What must that have been like?_ Grimmjow wondered in despair. To have a huge dream like playing in the NFL, only to become a gang's lap dog. How was that even fair?

"S-so Dad...Dad..."

The words just wouldn't come, but luckily, Retsu figured out what he was trying to say.

"Your father planted that seed in you, sweetie. You may not remember, but whenever Amaud was home, he spent his time with you, watching games on TV, teaching you the terminology...he loved you very much and believed you would be just like him. I'm sure he's proud of you, and I know for certain he's somewhere gloating," she ended with a chuckle.

Grimmjow choked and tried to blink back the flow of tears, but a distant memory surfaced at the coaxing of his mother's words. He remembered sitting on their old tattered couch next to a huge, blue-haired man, who could only have been his father. They'd been watching a small TV, his father excited and speaking to Grimmjow in rapid English, while tossing a football between his large hands. Grimmjow recalled the look of awe and adoration he'd worn as he'd sat beside his father, not understanding a thing that was going on, but having fun all the same.

He remembered, and it killed him. He covered his mouth and tried to disguise the sobs wrenching out of him, but it was impossible. Retsu floated over to him and pulled his head to her stomach, running her fingers through his hair as she soothed him with tender murmurings.

How the hell had he forgotten something so important? Was it because he'd been so small? Fuck. So, his father had been the source of his love for American football, huh? He buried his face in his mother's dress, inhaling the nostalgic scent of detergent and food aromas. His dad hadn't been a gambling piece of shit like he'd assumed when the man had disappeared, leaving his wife in astonishing amounts of debt. In fact, his father could be considered a hero for trying to keep the gang away from his family.

Grimmjow was in the middle of trying to figure out what they would do next, when the doorbell rang, and he was reminded that his uncle had arrived in Japan for the first time in probably six years.

XOXOXO

Ichigo glared across the table in his favorite corner of the library... _again_. This time, however, the culprit was one he truly disliked. Long, blond hair flowed over slim shoulders as Ilforte gave Ichigo an unimpressed glower down his straight nose. His posture was model perfect as he sat rigidly in the high-backed, wooden seat, arms folded on the table.

"I didn't come here to start trouble with you. I'm just really concerned about Jag and his recent behavior."

Ichigo resisted the urge to growl and lunge across the table in a possessive rage, settling for a sarcastic eyebrow arch.

"And you figured you'd come to _me_?"

"Well...you _are_ his best friend."

Ilforte looked as though the words had been pulled from his mouth with pliers and no anesthetic. Ichigo almost laughed until he realized what Ilforte's appearance meant.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Ichigo closed his laptop and leaned over it. "Grimm doesn't want you. And if I can remember correctly, he told you to fuck off."

Ilforte leaned over his crossed arms with an arrogant, sinister smirk. "I think it's _you_ who doesn't _get it_ , Ichigo. If you think for one second that I'm gonna let Jag go that easily-"

"Wow, so you're obsessed?"

"I am not _obsessed_ ," Ilforte snapped, his face twisted with disgust before he decided to mask it with blankness again. He swept his hair over his shoulder and blinked at Ichigo with hooded eyes. "Like I was saying: I'm not giving up on Jag so easily. He may be confused and thinking he wants you – though only god knows _why_ – but I'll be sure to help him realize the error of his ways."

Ichigo stared at Ilforte like the blond was a new species of insect, and Ichigo just couldn't understand him. And that was what ultimately made up Ichigo's mind to leave his favorite table. He stuffed his laptop into his backpack and gave Ilforte one last disbelieving look, his head shaking in pity. How could someone be so crazy?

As Ichigo made his way towards the glass double doors, he reminded himself to warn Grimmjow about Ilforte's madness. Apparently, Ilforte wasn't done because he followed Ichigo to the exit, hounding his steps until they reached the outside of the library. Wind swirled around them as Ichigo gaped at the blond.

"What now?" he blurted. "I fuckin' get it. Yer crazy as hell; I'll let Grimm know."

Ilforte rolled his eyes as if Ichigo was the one being a bother. "What a waste of space. I'm leaving as well, you idiot."

While Ichigo almost took offense to being called an idiot, he ended up laughing instead. Ilforte was beyond crazy. As a matter of fact, he was something Ichigo had never encountered in his life, and that was saying something with the kind of old man he had. Speaking of which...

Ichigo's mind wandered as he ignored Ilforte and traipsed towards the dorm. He hadn't spoken to his father and sisters in a while, and he kind of felt bad about it. He'd been too busy dealing with his romantic angst that he'd forgotten to touch bases with them. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more it worried him. His dad had never missed an opportunity to annoy the living shit out of him, so going weeks without a dramatic phone call was odd.

His steps became hurried as he entered the dorm until he was running up the stairs to his room. He plowed inside and came to an abrupt stop.

"Yo."

Ichigo's entire face paled before filling with heat. Grimmjow stood up and strolled over, every step slow and filled with purpose. His face was wary, as if Ichigo was a frightened animal that he was trying to corner. Really, Ichigo didn't blame him if that was how he felt. Guilt churned inside of him like boiling water as he looked into Grimmjow's troubled, yet alluring blue eyes. He towered over Ichigo when he came to a stop in front of him, and the gray school hoodie he wore did nothing to hide his muscular arms. Ichigo stared and hoped he wasn't drooling. Only Grimmjow could have such an effect on his libido.

"You still mad at me?"

Ichigo didn't say anything. He was too busy watching Grimmjow's lips move. Unfortunately, Grimmjow took his silence as affirmation.

"I figured you were since you still weren't answerin' yer phone."

Honestly, the only reason Ichigo hadn't bothered to answer Grimmjow's calls was because he had no idea where and how to begin apologizing for his selfish behavior. Guilt had kept him from making the first move, and it kept him from confronting the situation the way he should have. He also thought he'd have more time to come up with something suitable to say, considering Grimmjow hadn't seemed inclined to return to school when they'd last spoken.

But here he was. And he was still as marvelous as Ichigo imagined, not to mention, he smelled amazing.

"I thought you weren't comin' back," he mumbled, eyes focused on Grimmjow's lips.

"That why you were so salty?"

Ichigo shifted his gaze, brown eyes glaring into amused blue. "Shut up."

Grimmjow moved in, a smile lingering on his lips as he set his big hands on Ichigo's hips. "Ya know, it's OK ta tell me ya missed me."

Ichigo opened his mouth to make a biting, sarcastic retort, but Grimmjow altered the mood like only he could. Expression deadly serious and slightly earnest, Grimmjow dipped his head until their foreheads and noses met.

"I missed _you_ ," he breathed.

And that was about all the resisting Ichigo planned to put forth. His heart skipped and warmth filled every part of his body as he reached up and cradled Grimmjow's face between his hands.

"Yer such a jerk," he murmured before slowly tasting the taller boy's lips.

It wasn't the first time they'd kissed, but each time felt new. Each time made Ichigo feel like a horde of ants had been released in his stomach, and like nothing in the world could go wrong. When Grimmjow opened his mouth and slid his tongue between Ichigo's lips, it was like striking a match: everything went up in flame instantly. They both moaned, deepening the kiss as Grimmjow's arms grew desperate, clasping Ichigo to him, his hands roving over Ichigo's back.

As much as he was enjoying where this was headed, Ichigo knew that their previous spat had to be addressed. He was still feeling a tiny bit bitter about the things Grimmjow had said to him, and he was sure Grimmjow was resenting how Ichigo had basically forced him to choose between his new love and his mother. So, with tremendous effort, he pulled out of the drugging kiss and looked into Grimmjow's glazed blue eyes.

Boy, it didn't take much to get him going, huh? Ichigo grinned to himself as he thought it didn't take much for himself, either.

"We should probably talk about what happened," he muttered, running a hand over Grimmjow's shoulder.

"What, _now_?"

Grimmjow's voice was guttural and thick, and it sent delicious sensations skittering over Ichigo's skin. It made separating their bodies that much harder.

"Don't you think so?" Ichigo asked. Then, he took a closer look at Grimmjow's expression and realized that no...Grimmjow definitely didn't think so. "Look, I was an asshole about the situation with your mom, and-"

Grimmjow sigh-groaned and rolled his eyes so dramatically, Ichigo stuttered to a stop in order to stare at him in surprise.

"Ichigoooo," Grimmjow started, running a hand through his untidy blue hair as he moved over to his bed and plopped down onto it. "I know why ya said what ya said, alright? It ain't like we made shit official before I had ta up an' leave, so I get it. It was fucked up-" here he paused and gave Ichigo a stern look. "But I get it."

Ichigo shook his head and crossed the room to squat in front of Grimmjow. "That's not the point I'm tryna make, idiot. I'm tryna say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you feel like you had to choose between me and your mom."

He hung his head in shame, afraid to meet his best friend/lover's eyes. He really had behaved like a jerk.

Grimmjow snorted. The sound brought Ichigo's head up, and he was shocked to see Grimmjow grimacing with his own form of pain and shame.

"Yeah, and ya think I don' feel like shit fer sayin' what I said ta you? I know ya took it the wrong way."

Ichigo eyes flashed when he remembered Grimmjow's harsh words. "Hell yeah, I took it the wrong way. I thought you didn't give a shit about how I felt."

Grimmjow's face turned pink as he avoided Ichigo's eyes, which was entirely too adorable for words. Ichigo stared at the other boy in awe as he watched his larger than life friend (and maybe boyfriend?) turn into a shy school boy.

"Don' be stupid, Ichigo," he mumbled, eyes somewhere on the floor to Ichigo's right. "Of course, I care how you feel." And just like that, the shy disappeared as Grimmjow met Ichigo's gaze head-on. "I wasn't exaggerating when I told ya I love you, you know."

Something shy and embarrassed wanted to raise its head as Ichigo blushed, but he wouldn't dare give Grimmjow something to blackmail him with. Instead, he climbed to his feet and nodded, his eyes going to half mast the way he knew Grimmjow liked.

"Oh, yeah?" he rumbled as he pulled his sweatshirt over his head and tossed it to the floor.

He straddled Grimmjow's legs, thoroughly enjoying the way Grimmjow's eyes went wide with surprise before narrowing with lust.

"Mind refreshing my memory?"

Grimmjow grinned and ran his hands up the backs of Ichigo's thighs until he had twin handfuls of Ichigo's bottom.

"Don't mind if I do."

As Ichigo lowered his head and met Grimmjow for another intoxicating kiss, all thoughts of not hearing from his old man, Ilforte and his craziness – and even his and Grimmjow's fight – were far from his mind.


End file.
